Best Western The Rose And Crown Colchester

Great place to stay! The staff are great and quick at fixing and improving your stay. Priya, Sian and James at the Reception are very helpful and ensure to make you feel welcome. Gabby in the Dining hall serves a great breakfast with a smile. Had a small problem with the room. Thanks to Nicola and Robert for fixing it all up. Will visit again soon!

Great value for money on a B&B basis. Room was clean and pleasant, lovely bathroom. Staff mostly welcoming and helpful. Beautiful building with tons of character, nice bar. Shame they don't do evening meals (we didn't realise that until we arrived). We walked towards the town centre and found Thai One (82 East Hill) which we can highly recommend for dinner, the best Thai we have eaten in the UK. Breakfast was good, nice selection of continental buffet items and the cooked breakfast was very tasty with large servings.

We stayed here for a short break, during half term. From check in to check out, it was amazing. The room (205) had a lovely 4 poster bed, and plenty of room. Lots of light from the 3 windows, but decent curtains to keep the early sun out. We were a little warm on the first night, but opened the secondary glazing from then on. Now, I know the hotel is reputed to be haunted, and the receptionist told us our room wasn't known to have activity. I will say this, every night at precisely 2 am I woke up with a feeling that someone was sitting in the room. After about an hour then feeling wore off. Did it bother me? Not a bit, it actually quite intriguing. The shower was excellent, once you got the temperature right. Creaking floor, yes, but the hotel is over 600 years old, what do you expect! I'd really suggest staying here. It's a brisk 20 min walk into town, and not at all difficult. I'm in my 60s, and it was really nice to walk up, eat and then walk it off on the way back. Breakfast was faultless, my gawd, the sausage was amazing. We will be back soon. Don't be put off by the lack of restaurant, though it's a shame, but there are plenty of take aways and restaurants nearby.

The Best Western The Rose and Crown hosted our family wedding and everything exceeded our expectations - the staff were very knowledgeable regarding events and made the who wedding run like clockwork with ease and considerable skill. The were un-obtrusive yet always at hand - anticipating what might be needed before it was asked for and just fantastic. The meal was excellent and delivered without fuss catering for a variety of pre advised special diets without fuss and absolute accuracy. The venue is unique and exceptional, a real one off and it's 15th century character features is an exceptional backdrop. The small garden area was pretty and special even in February and just perfect for the photographer to capture lasting memories with all of the guests gathered - the artificial grass was just what was needed to keep wedding gowns clean and ladies footwear on the level. The evening function was again beyond expectations and the hotel disco was one of the best ever attended with a great atmosphere. They paid attention the the bride and grooms requested music style and genres and the party popped with every finding themselves on the floor and enjoying this special family occasion. I would with every confidence recommend this venue and their team for your wedding or other event - absolutely no negatives or issues. Many of the wedding group stayed before and after the wedding and this made life and preparation easy and convenient. A sneak peek at the honeymoon suite revealed a real time capsule with modern facilities. Definitely a venue to create great, special and unique memories for a wedding.

Great stay always nice and warm in a standard room that was fine breakfast lovely and hot great value me and my wife on our anniversary couldn't complain. The staff was great and hassle free . Extra pots off tea with breakfast. No problem .also free parking ,left the car there all weekend. Again great value

Stayed two nights to explore the city centre and castle. The standard room was fine, everything you could need was there. Room was clean, and the bathroom was nicely presented. The bed was comfy, and we slept well. Breakfast was good except the sausages had a strange taste. Staff were polite and helpful. 15-minute walk up to the town centre, which was uphill, so just be aware if you have mobility problems.

This is an old hotel so there are some really low ceilings. Ive never minded that when I have stayed here beforehand. This stay however had many issues. The Tv did not work properly. The bathroom was freezing. The duvet on the bed smelt of onions.

The service and food was excellent It was a gathering for a Red Hat chapter based in Colchester. We had an excellent meal with complimentary wine and the service was excellent. The staff with very friendly and helpful ensuring that everybody had just the best time. Thank you so much.

Meal and a show, the starter was excellent after waiting an hour just as the main course was being delivered I was requested to move my car in the car park due to a lorry delivery, struggling as disable got to the car to find the lorry had gone, returning asked for my main course the beef was like leather, the roast potatoes had been fryed and the middle was still raw and the vegetables still raw, the whole meal was stone cold, complaining received a bottle of wine with the sweet which was excellent, thank goodness the show was fantastic.

Beautiful building but if they give you room 202 don't stay as I was up from 3am with the fan underneath the window I repeat the fan which we were told wasn't there but I have a photo to show it, it just didnt stop, at 5am i wanted to pull my hair out to top it of the blind was broke in the bathroom and has a glass door so had the light shining in the room so what should have been a nice weekend to see our son and grandson turned out abit crap I wouldnt stay again which is a shame as this would have been ideal as its minutes from our son

I booked this Hotel for my partners Birthday. It certainly didn't dissapoint. It is a 14th Century building. So lovely frontage. Inside the inside still has the little Tudor staircases narrow with beams. It has been kept beautifully. We had a lovely room.

Well, it's obviously a very very old building, and this is reflected in the structure. The four poster bed room is on a noticeable slant - a ball would roll from one side to the other. This was very noticeable when laying in bed. I took this as neither a positive or a negative - just a quirk of the room, though my partner found laying at an angle off-putting. There are a bunch of miniature “half steps” in a lot of the rooms, just small lips which you may not notice to step up. To me, these are a trip hazard - either be a noticeable, full step, or be a smooth ramp, don't be halfway between the two. Do not opt for the four poster room, especially if you are a couple. The walls are paper thin. My night felt quite awkward as I could hear everything happening in the room behind us, where a family with a baby and young children were staying. I mean paper thin - the baby might as well have been in the room with me with the clarity with which I could hear it crying. And don't think that you can just drown it out with the tv either - the noise comes from the wall the bed is against, behind you. I also presume they could hear my tv, as I could hear theirs, when the baby wasn't crying over it or the kid talking over it. Very very annoying. The rooms seemed to lack consistency in the small details. Single and double rooms had slow-closing toilet lids; the four-poster did not. The single bed room had a soft headboard; the double room had a hard headboard. The four poster room did not have a loo roll holder, meaning you had to reach behind your head for some loo roll whilst sitting. I also second what other reviewers have stated about the loud generators - I thought the same. Personally I did not find the noise from a wedding to be a problem, though I guess it depends on the wedding itself as to how loud guests will be. We were informed that noise was to cease by midnight - this was fine for us as we didn't plan on sleeping before then anyway. The floorboards creaking outside the rooms whenever someone walked past, however, was annoying. It's not exactly a surprise as it's such an old building, but that doesn't stop it from being an annoyance when trying to sleep nonetheless. I found there were a fair few cobwebs. Not in hard-to-reach places. I get that it's an old building, but the cobwebs don't need to be there. A couple I could definitely forgive, but there were quite a lot. No creepy crawlies though. Thinking of some positives; the four poster room was indeed pretty. The tv had freeview channels on. The showering facilities were hit or miss; the temperature was very temperamental in the single room, but rooms which included baths were good. The mattress was very soft and comfortable in the four poster room. They were a bit more generous than expected with teabags/sugar etc. (though the kettle in the single room was temperamental trying to turn it on). But overall, I wouldn't stay here again. You're paying for the fact that it's an old building, if you like that sort of thing, not the actual quality of room. I wish I had read the reviews before booking because the abundance of negative-to-okayish reviews reflects my own experience.

Absolute gem of a hotel. Parking was a nightmare, but that was overcome. The building is just so beautiful and I'm not sure if I slept on a cloud or a ghost, but it was the best night's sleep I have had. The bed was so comfortable. Breakfast was fantastic and the nespresso machine in the room was a nice touch. I will definitely visit again.

Rooms not as expected . Would not stay there again .paid for executive room last minute . Was basic and matress was too short for the bed and small room and basic . No description on website . Spoke to reception and were not interested aske me to wait for the email and survey

Well first off all I just wanna say the breakfasts here are pretty much the only food thing this place has going for it we found the staff completely unfriendly and unhelpful the lady behide the desk clearly didn't wanna be there there was no warm welcome we wasn't told anything about breakfast the Thursday we were due to leave we arrived for breakfast and everything had been put away we wasn't even told that we would have to have our breakfast in the bar area when they clearly new about this wedding our family room was right over the other side there was a small bathroom window with slash down it and when we had showers staff members sat an stood smoking we had a really great few days in colchester but we differently will not be retuning to this hotel x

Worst nights sleep I've had in a hotel. Noise from the function wasnt the issue it was the floor boards above and all around, guests walking past or above sounded like they were in the room. First room allocated had a generator outside the window with constant loud noise so asked to be moved. Second room allocated was above the function room exit so knew id be kept awake by stragglers from the wedding there, third room allocated was away from the function room in the newer part of the building but was ground floor so had drunken guests propped up outside my window at 2am and the floor boards above and slamming doors until 3am......started up again at 6am when guests woke.....no sleep at all. Reception stated they'd never had a complaint from that room before...which I cannot believe given the other trip advisor reviews. Lovely old building let down by its conversion, don't stay here if you want to sleep. Great wedding function and staff very attentive. Breakfast staff let the place down and breakfast was a bit of a cobbled together affair on the bar, however he cooked breakfast was great.

We stayed in this hotel on a Friday night. We booked the upgraded executive room. We were extremely disappointed in the room, it was small, the furniture was warn out and the room felt run down. Our main concern was the cleanliness. There were brown stains on the white towel, filthy marks on the walls, the pelmet had a large stain, the tiles on the floors were broken and cracked. The bathroom was also dirty, the wall tiles were noticeably dirty, and the grime could easily of been cleaned, brown dust on the tiles, some of the switches had mould on them. As we were out for the evening this we didn't notice until the morning. Very disappointing would not recommend or stay again.

Not so good, lots of history yeap, many old stones and cool vibe but that's it. Hard to find an empty slot in the car park, then they couldn't find the reservation. 1 hour awaiting for a so-called manager, very rude and unpolite. No warm food at all, basic breakfast and watery coffee. I wouldn't stay here again unless there is no more options. Best feature may be the beauty around, but its not well managed.

The reception staff were very pleasant and helpful, however some of the staff that provided breakfast certainly didn't have the same customer focus. The room had a large patch of damp on the wall and when we came in the room it was so hot we had to open the window. The heater could not be regulated. The breakfast was cold and a little disorganised.

We booked in for a two night stay, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, several months ago. We booked a superior room and the Christmas Day lunch. About a month ago we were told that the bar would not be open Christmas Day night, which we found very disappointing to say the least! On arrival we checked in and went up to our room . . . the room was far from superior . . . stained carpet, general paintwork and decor tired and chipped, a chair in front of the vanity mirror had a padded seat with holes in. We went down to the bar for a drink and something to eat on Christmas Eve only to be told that no food was available. For the first part of the evening the bar was unmanned and you had to go to reception to ask for service!! The hotel was far from busy and there were never any more than eight customers all night . . . so a real lack of Christmas spirit!! On Christmas Day we decided that we had enough and told the young lady on reception we were checking out, she was very surprised and asked if there was anything she could do, but we told her it was a final decision. We cannot speak highly enough of the young lady, her name was Tatiana. She did everything possible to try and change our minds, she couldn't apologise enough, and adjusted our bill accordingly. As this meant we were missing the Christmas lunch, she organised a little take away for us and a complementary bottle of wine. After all our moans and criticisms of the hotel, we cannot speak highly enough of Tatiana . . . once again a massive thank you and best wishes for the New Year.

My mother and I stayed here in the first weekend of December. Room was very nice and warm and had everything we needed. The staff were superbe and went out of their way and above and beyond to make sure my mother and I had a great time and enjoyed our stay. Breakfast was delicious. Buffet was warmed up upon request and the al la carte breakfast the next day offered great breakfast options including smoked salmon! A real treat. The Christmas Party was great. We didn't stay for the party but my mother and I both enjoyed our three course Christmas dinner. Everything was on point. We also enjoyed the beautiful historical decor of the list building. We enjoyed the fireplace and took.a lot of pictures at different spots. Thank you Best Western Colchester for giving us a wonderful weekend!!

I stayed two days recently. Its a listed tudor building with lots of character. The staff were friendly. The food was excellent and the room was clean and well equiped. It has ample parking so no probs there. There were christmas parties but I say little and heard very little as I was placed in a room away from it. I got plenty of notice there were going to be and the offer to cancel. Good location as its still near town with a brisk walk. You are left alone which I like. While I was out the room was cleaned perfectly, fresh towels etc and bed made clean and crisp. Breakfast took a liitle time but I think there were a few orders at the same time - I had a generous full english and an offer to revisit the breakfast buffet which was well stocked. Check out at 11AM which again was friendly and time for an easy going chat. All of the above is what and how a hotel should be but one is never suprised how many don't get the simple things right right. So the Rose and Crown was a very pleasant and relaxing stay. Thank you. Anthony

Check in staff were not great despite checking in online day before still took 10 minutes per person on arrival, rooms were warm, car park safe and plenty of spaces, breakfast was ok no sauces readily available and onlu1 member of staff

We chose this hotel as we expected easy parking and availability of evening meal/snack, of which we got neither. The hotel did advise us, after our taking our booking, of a large party having been booked, but it was too late for us to find a suitable alternative accommodation. We were advised that our room would be carefully selected to minimise our inconvenience, however we were put in a room immediately adjacent to the exit road/pathway for the existing party goers. We also were unable get any food that evening, which we weren't warned of. They must have known how much we would have been inconveniences and should have given us a discount as we did not receive what was originally on offer.

We went to the Rose and Crown for an Xmas party with work colleagues on 26th November. Apparently there was 160 people being catered for that evening. The organisation of food being served and quality of food was good. However the service at the bar was very poor. We acknowledge that wine for the table could be preordered but if you wanted any other drinks during the meal the queue at the bar was lengthy and the service slow. Perhaps additional staff or maybe catering for less people is the answer. Unfortunately this did spoil what otherwise would have been a pleasant evening.

Me and my wife, along with some family, visited Colchester overnight for a family wedding. On arrival, through the barrier, I was pleasantly suprised by the character of the hotel. Check in was simple! Staff very helpful. The room was clean and comfortable. Shower was better than mine at home. Bar area was lovely and the staff helpful. Breakfast was awesome, buffet breakfast with all the trimmings. Very pleasant stay with very helpful staff Thank you

The receptionist made a pathetic excuse dut to lack of staff that they could not serve us a coffee each..!! I told them if they are meant to be closed put a big sign up to save disappointing other persons. Strong rumours that Boat people will be arriving soon but even they deserve better.

We had our civil partnership performed here as the setting was so beautiful. The building has charm and style. The team were very friendly, helpful and kind especially Sue and Sian. They made our day extra special! Breakfast was amazing with lots of choice, the chef even created a meal for one of the guests ( due to health issues) nothing was too much trouble. The grooms suite was very comfortable, with a huge four poster bed, fluffy towels and plenty of space, plus all the quirks from a room with so much character. We loved our stay here, and they made our wedding day truly memorable. Can't thank them enough!

Stayed here for one night (Thursday). First impressions the bedroom was clean , sheets at towels good. The room was a little run down with some areas in need of a paint. There was also an old chair that was completely out of place with the decor. Wasn't altogether reflective of the photos on the website. Dinner in the restaurant, both food and service was very good. Breakfast ok but nothing special. The main grumble was that we were woken at 4.45am by the wheelie bins being moved across the car park right outside our bedroom window, and the following bin lorry at 5.20am. No sleep after this. On checking out I mentioned this to the person on reception and was told that they would mention it to the night porter. This of course made everything ok, not. We have stayed in lots of Best Western hotels, this is not one of the better ones. Two stars given are for the good dinner and dinner service.

We arrived at the hotel , parked in the hotel own car park, a truly wonderful old hotel, full of charm and character, the breakfast are fantastic with a variety from full english to salmon and scrambled eggs, the room are of a high standard and very comfortable beds. The walk into town takes about 15-20 mins up hill, however it is a pleasant walk, The Castle pub at the top of the hill serves wonderful food and a lovely welcome given. an overall lovely place to visit with wooden framed houses truly amazing

This hotel has some lovely historic features but most of the bedrooms are in an extension and are basic but provide all you need. The breakfast was really nice. It's buffet style. We stayed for an event but the hotel is close to the Town centre. The staff are friendly and helpful.

The hotel dates back from the 14th century and has bags of character. Stayed in a standard double room which was pleasant with all normal facilities. Staff were pleasant, bar was quirky but also a great setting with prison bars and a gate representing use many years ago as a prison. Drinks and food normal hotel prices and good full English buffet for breakfast. Not too far to walk to the City centre and free parking on first come first served basis.

Old dated hotel, room far too hot, inadequate lighting. Bar food limited and many items unavailable. Bar closes at 10:30 and breakfast stops being served at 9am. However staff generally really pleasant. We only stayed here at were guests at a wedding at the same venue, would not stay again.

Booked superior room, but there wasn't anything special about it. Looked like a standard room to me. Beds were OK quite comfortable. Shower over the bath in twin room. It was clean though apart from blinds. We overlooked the car park in room 209. Quite noisy fri night. Sat a wedding going on noisy music till midnight. Breakfast was OK, although coffee was disgusting Luke warm tasteless and undrinkable. Sat evening we ordered steak triple cooked chips mushrooms tomatoes and spinach. Wasn't cheep Steak tough , spinach wasn't washed properly full of grit unedible, mushrooms & tomatoes were what was served at breakfast chips weren't tripped cooked. Not sauces available for Steak. Complained about spinach , they just said thanks for feed back. I am disabled ;parking is limited but we had to park up the road as wedding guest with out blue badges were parked in the disabled bays. Would we stay again THATS A BIG NO disappointing for Best Weatern

Room not cleaned properly.. Definitely not hoovered. Dirty Grubby marks on bathroom tiles and around sealant areas. Room was large plenty room. Shower worked well and was hot. Heating in room worked well. Staff were friendly Hotel is tired looking and needs a repaint. Would I stay again? For a short day or two only.

Excellent value for money. The rooms had all the facilities you might need, and the breakfast was excellent, and the staff all efficient, friendly and welcoming. There was plenty of parking and no noise at night. Best value in town!

Had an amazing wedding at The Rose and Crown! Everything was perfect from the food to the organisation. Would really recommend, and was such great value. Sue was so attentive in responding to and addressing our many queries.

Quaint old building, full of character, creaky floors part of its charm. Staff all so helpful, food amazing with huge portion sizes. Short walk about 10 mins to High Street with lovely castle and museum. Attended a festival in the park which was a fun night out.

Stayed here to attend a 30th Birthday party being hosted on East Hill, so this Inn was in a perfect location for us. If you were visiting the centre of the City, you would have a bit of a walk (maybe 30 minutes or so), but as long as you don't mind the walk this is a lovely choice that is out of the main hustle and bustle. We were told it is about 700 years old and it certainly is packed with history and is very atmospheric with old oak beams. It is well-maintained and the public areas and our room were clean and comfortable. We had a Standard Room and, although it was small, it was well-appointed with hairdryer, iron & ironing board, fan and tea/coffee facilities. We had a lovely large bathroom which was stocked with shampoo, bath/shower gel and soap. Towels are supplied. It was quite warm in our room and so we used the fan that was supplied. The Inn is very close to the railway track and level crossing and so you will get the occasional noise from a passing train. Our room looked out towards the track but we weren't disturbed by any noise from the trains and the windows do have secondary glazing and so if it did bother you, closing this definitely would cut down on any noise you may experience but it wasn't an issue for us. We can't comment on the breakfast as we didn't have it. It's a lovely old building and we enjoyed staying here. We would definitely stay again if we are in the area.

We had our wedding here at the rose and crown on Friday 19th August 2022. First off it was a fantastic day full of love and laughter. The accomodation was great, although we did have a night where we went to shower the night before the wedding and there was no hot water on our side of the building, however by 8am the overnight receptionist had dealt with it and he had maintenance out to fix it. So although it was an issue, to the gentleman on receptions credit it was promptly dealt with so no complaints here. Sue was fantastic from our first ever visit there and she is an absolute credit to the company, I hope they realise how lucky they are! There is nothing that was too much for her and she did everything in her power to make sure the day went smoothly, thank you Sue! Now onto the main event, the food! Having had a wedding I now realise that food is the most important part of the day, and it did not disappoint! The food was exceptional and out of 70 people we did not have a single complaint. Every single person said how delicious it was. Every part was cooked to perfection and the chef on that day did an outstanding job. We stayed over the night of the wedding and had breakfast in the bar the following morning, which again my compliments to the chef, it was beautiful! We did have to wait a while for it as they had run out of food and the waiting staff were run off their feet being the morning after a wedding but it was worth the wait. All in all our experience is a very positive one and we had a great couple of days at the hotel. With hosts and food like that, we will be back for dinner dates :) Again, thank you to all the staff at the rose and crown and a special thank you to Sue and the chef of the day, you made our day the best it could be :) Sarah and Paul xx

The building is historic and quaint ( sad there is no history of the building posted in reception) and will be listed so there are restrictions as to what can be achieved in the rooms. So no AC and the historic windows are very small so when it is hot it is impossible to air the room. There are fans provided. It would be cost in winter. Room has hairdryer, an iron and ironing board, plus tea/coffee. Bed is only a standard double but rooms are small. The light above the bathroom mirror did not work so it was difficult to see when the sun moved away from the room. I think the hotel has a death wish. The staff were ineffective, cold and one girl on reception was extremely patronizing - tone not actual words. When we passed reception no one said good morning. When we stood in front of reception waiting for the receptionist to finish her phone call we were totally ignored. No smile or acknowledgment of our presence and then a look of being put out by any small request such as could we have some salt in the dining room (which is the airless bar) because there had been no sight of a waitress for over 5 mins. The first day there was just a mean buffet, no salt anywhere, no side plates. We had to ask at the bar for our order to be taken. We asked for two double espressos and were told they had to be paid for - what do you say but ok? But a manager came to see to explain they could not be charged to our room but needed to actually to be paid for there and then ! They couldn't be charged to our room. Since when does a hotel act like this? I had to get my credit card out at breakfast. Second day no buffet but everything including juice, fruit had to be ordered. And no we couldn't have any espresso even if paid for. It took over 30 mins to get the cooked breakfast. Waitress indifferent. Tables pub sticky. When we left no thank you or goodbye from reception and the confetti was still on the floor in the entrance from 2 days before. The staff here have no sense of customer service. Good points just a 1km walk into the city and a car park.

We had our wedding here August 5th 2022. My family had booked out 38 rooms for the night of the wedding. The staff were amazing. Beth and sue couldn't do enough on the day and night for me and my guests. I was treated like royalty, nothing was too much. Sue was beyond amazing on the lead up too and kept me calm when things didn't always go to plan (plans outside of her control) I would totally recommend the rose and crown for a wedding, the rooms were full of character and my family all commented. Thank you for everything Jodie and Jamie Langton x

My friend and I stayed for the Simply Red concert nearby. There was a wedding party that day/night and we felt that took priority over other guests needs. After looking at other superior rooms that were being prepared we really we had been given possibly the most small and grubby one available. We were first to check in yet were told no possibility of changing despite speaking to the cleaners who were still preparing rooms for that day. We arrived back just as the bar shut and we're told by the Porter there's no chance of room service tonight as we have a function. It's a shame as this trip was planned back in November and we chose this hotel thinking it would be special. The room was stuffy despite being superior and our view was of someone's garden which felt a bit odd! We expected noise as of course there was a wedding but kids running up and down the corridors and lots of drunk adults shouting til 2am was a bit much. I love a night out but felt that with a function going on that other guests needs were irrelevant.

This hotel is lovely: clean, cosy and filled with friendly staff who are always happy to help. The drinks are reasonably priced and the food was really tasty - especially the breakfast. 11am check-out was also a bonus!

Great place for local people in Colchester to meet and have a lovely drink in beautiful Tudor style decor - it's a fantastic hotel with fantastic staff. Naomi is amazing she works in the bar and restaurant - always friendly and great service. She is a superstar! I couldn't recommend this place enough. If you are visiting Colchester this is well worth a visit!

Best western and Crown…. I don't know where to start really. We travelled all the way from Wales for my brothers wedding and from the moment we stepped foot on the venue everything was professional. Thank you so much to your staff for their professionalism and attentiveness, everything was superb! Just wanted to also give a special mention Beth for going above and beyond and just bringing great energy in the room, she made sure the room was happy, she was always smiling and entertained the kids. Thank you all for a great stay. Ignore any negative reviews, we had a fantastic time.

We had a large room with lots of character and low ceiling beams. Good bathroom Free onsite parking. Decent bar with a good selection of drinks and good restaurant menu. Polite professional staff. About Ten minutes walk into Colchester.

We were in a grotty outbuilding at the back. We paid per person not per room, which made it very poor value. Decor and finish was poor. The outbuilding bore no stylistic relation to the nice olde worlde building pictured. I didn't realise there were different buildings we would be accommodated in.

Had a meal for my birthday here, staff was more interested in talking then serving The manager of what I can assume of the bar was not very pleasant and staff was paying no attention to customers, no wonder there was hardly any customers in the bar The receptionists are very pleasant and helped me find my way to the bar as I have only just moved here and thaught this would be a nice place to try. Will not be going back any time soon or will recommend

We stayed in this hotel for the graduation at Essex Uni. The hotel staff was super nice but a bit disorganised (we had to wait for our other room after check in time because of cleaning staff backlog). The hotel is best known for weddings and there were two weddings during our stay, luckily english weddings last only until midnight so we were not to bothered by this. A greater source of noise is the proximity of the street and if you leave your windows open you can hear car and motor engine reving and people shouting on the street during the night. The breakfast is was ok but the eggs would run out quickly and the staff was not very eager to replace in time. The hight street is 10-15 min away but uphil so I regreted not booking a hotel closer to high street. All in all, I would recommed if you are looking for a hotel with a free parking space and if you get by with a car. The bus station is close but there are few buses running. It was an ok experience but I would not stay there again.

Please avoid any Best Western Hotel. It should be called 'worst western'. Nothing good about this hotel.The staff did not care at all. They appeared overworked. The hotel was dirty and there was no staff to complain to. Please do not recommend this hotel to anyone.

A beautiful old building with loads of character and charm. Guest rooms really nice - well-presented and clean, but need to be king-sized beds as usually found in hotels rather than the 4'6" standard doubles. Quality of guest service varied - check-in was handled really smoothly and professionally by a really pleasant receptionist, but breakfast service was shoddy and unprofessional. Food quality at breakfast was average. Noise from function rooms is very audible in some guest rooms - although to be fair we were notified in advance of the event, and the DJ stopped the music dead on time. Could do with a slightly stricter curfew on noisy guests in the carpark directly outside guest rooms, though.

We only stayed for one night, loads of beams and historic features, staff really friendly and helpful, our room and hotel in general very clean, food delicious, thoroughly recommend this for an interesting comfy stay

My friend and i wanted to celebrate getting back to normal and have meals out again. As i have had lovely lunches at the rose&crown lately, it was good to have an evening meal there. The service was brilliant we were welcomed warmly, had a good table. Very tastey food well presented, and good size portions. We were so happy with everything we will be back very soon.

I stayed at the Rose & Crown, Colchester just for one night whilst attending a family wedding. I found all staff very helpful and good at their particular cherries. I was treated with respect and courtesy by every staff member that I came into contact with. I think this was definitely a positive experience.

We attended a wedding yesterday on the 14th, when we arrived finally to the the hotel to find there was no where in the hotel to park, i had a chat with the receptionist and she advised that parking is not allocated for residents who were staying at the hotel, we was not rude to her, and she said i can't deal with those people, the wedding party was waiting for us to sit down for the meal, we had to drive around again to park in the pay and display,. When we decided to check in for our room, we went to check out our room and was appalled by what we has seen, it smelt musky and damp, was dirty and not cleaned, as you will see from the photos below. We went back to reception and spoke to the receptionist and asked we could change the room and was informed that the only other room available was the one next door with no bedside lamps as they were broken. We wanted to cancel the room and asked for a refund and were advised this could not be done and would need to send email to the manager, we cancelled the room and had to come home no way we were going to stay in the hotel room. I would like to request a full refund.

My Son & Daughter in Law had their Wedding reception here yesterday and I could not fault the whole day. The staff were exceptional, the building itself is amazing and the whole day was made extra special for the happy couple by all the hard work put in by the whole team. As for the food it was piping hot , plentiful and of very high quality. Thank you to each and everyone who helped make this such a wonderful day for family and friends.

Attended a wedding reception and the food was excellently presented, all nice and hot and the staff were excellent. The tables were all well laid out with plenty of space and there were plenty of waiters and waitresses so everybody was served very quickly. Definitely going back for a meal in the main restaurant. Well done

The is a lovely old building situated a mile from centre of Colchester. The public areas are full beams and character. The deluxe room we booked for a 2 night stay to attend a wedding could be so much better. There was a damp, musty odour on entering, dirty plughole full of hairs and curtains that looked like they'd been shot at. The beds were comfy and the shower head once cleaned was powerful. Such a shame that it gave a bad impression, with a little more attention to detail by housekeeping, the room could've been so much more inviting.

We stayed here for 3 nights during the Covid Pandemic. Felt very safe in the hotel as procedures were in place and running well. Our room was at the front of the hotel so was a bit noisy at times. The room and en-suite were clean and comfortable. Our view over the funeral directors was different and as the train line was not that far away it was noisy with cars stopping and starting as the level crossing went up or down. The food was hit and miss, breakfast was buffet style and somethings were not replaced. Dinner was in the bar only and was very limited. We put this down to the Pandemic. The Staff make this hotel, from the ladies in Reception, to the bar staff all had smiles on their faces as they did their best to cope in these difficult times.

My wife and I were married at the rose and crown last week and it was amazing, Kay the wedding planner and all her staff were friendly and efficient. The venue was absolutely beautiful and it couldn't have gone better. A day to remember forever!

We stayed here for one night room 126 and was sadly disappointed with the road traffic noise keeping us up most of the night and room in need of renovation and matress not very clean . The breakfast was. Nearly cold and bacon very hard not enough choice .

The room was dated and the view of. Funeral directors. Close to the train line but they stopped at 1030 ish. Bathroom nice and loads of lovely towels. Bed comfy. Quite a lot of dust on skirting boards and window didn't open. Having said all of that, I slept well and no noise from other rooms. The breakfast was first class. Crispy croissants, fresh fruit and eggs Benedict. Overall good value for money but room a bit drab

Just amazing . Lovely characterful hotel . Excellent facilities and food amazing .reduced facilities because of a wedding taking place but the next night was absolutely brilliant .The rooms were amazing

Room was average Room opened out virtually to the road and cars driving in and out of car park in front of window- we were in an annexe room. Not very Disabled friendly as we had to get a code to open a barrier to get through from car park to my room and the internal corridor is not disabled friendly so had to come out of hotel and through car park to get to reception and the restaurant. Staff friendly and the restaurant was lovely . Good food and they did bring things to me save me going to the bar in my scooter.

We are currently in the process of planning our wedding at The Rose and Crown,and since we first stepped in the door we have been amazed by the warm welcome from the general manager Sue . She has been absolutely amazing with us helping us plan and organise our special day Nothing is too much trouble with Sue she is always available and willing to help with anything we need or any queries we may have . Sue has played a massive part in us deciding to hold our wedding day at the venue We cannot recommend The Rose and Crown enough

Stayed here for Daughters graduation as only 10 mins from University of Essex. Lovely place to visit that as a lot of the original traditional characters of an old building which was lovely to still see.

a lovely old quirky hotel with uneven floors and creaky floorboards, overall not a bad plac e to stay however please be aware that the rooms are very old, very dated and there is very little if any soundproofing. there is a room that really should not be a room at all its too small, its situated directly above the bar and cellar area and every sound can be heard. The bar area served some lovely food and the staff there are great, kay made our stay better than it really should have been.

Overall our stay here was really good. The interior and exterior of the hotel is really interesting which is why we choose it. Very historic building with a fascinating history. The rooms are quite dark due to small windows however you can get extra daylight by lifting the net curtains and wrapping them around the curtain pole. The rooms are kept warm by heaters and there is an extra pane of glass over the historic windows to keep out noise. I wouldn't advise staying in this hotel if you are very tall, I hit my head a few times forgetting about the low beams, but there are reminder signs all over the hotel to warn guests about this. Good breakfast in the morning with vegetarian options available, I loved the mushrooms and hash browns in particular! No decaf tea or coffee available during my stay. There were alternative milk options available at breakfast. We dined in the bar/restaurant which was lovely, really nice food. The vegetarian lasagna and the cheese board were delicious! There was one member of reception staff who was lovely, however the other reception were a bit reluctant to assist me with some matters. They were somewhat rude and abrupt at times and did not want to take on board what I was saying. I found this a bit odd as I have stayed in many hotels all around the word and have not come across this before. I didn't find there attitude helpful or friendly which has brought down the scoring of my experience here.

Set in a not very appealing location in the heart of Colchester we were pleasantly surprised at how nice this hotel was inside being Medieval. We had the 4 poster room that was really nice with a vaulted ceiling. Restaurant and bar were average and nothing to write home about. No ale on hand pumps and draught Guinness not very good. Good selection of bottled Ales such as Adnams Ghost Ship were available. Sleep quality not good due to busy road outside although this was expected as this is a very old and quaint building. Staff very friendly.

First night in this hotel was much to be desired. Arrived in a weekend when many functions were taking place. Promised rooms away from function room as staying for 3 weeks but had rooms allocated right next to the room so noise was unbearable. The bar and food however was fantastic. The bar supervisor Kay was superb. Nothing was too much trouble. Not much on the limited menu that myself or my party liked but after a few conversations between reception and the chef they catered to all of our needs. Fantastic service from Kay. Would highly recommend. Hotel not so much. Dated rooms with very very old TVs which won't even support HDMI. Disappointing in that sense. Restaurant and bar 9/10. Hotel 4/10.

Kay and Scott were great!! The service they provided was exceptional!! Thank you for making the evenings so much fun.. Hotel was good.. breakfast was like being in faulty towers sometimes but they got through it... Room was good and clean!! Thanks for a great stay... definitely would pop back for a weekend stay if in the area!!

Stayed in the Rose and Crown 15th century coach house. Comfortable rooms, very substantial breakfast and restaurant served great food. Walking distance to Colchester Castle and busy town centre with lots of shops.

We stayed for a night at the Best Western Rose and Crown. We were informed prior to arrival that there was a function on ( A wedding) and that we would be staying in the annex which was perfectly acceptable. On arrival the car park was full, I parked temporarily in the disabled space outside reception (So that we could just put our stuff in our room) and was told there was an overflow car park up the road, when we had checked in we came back to find a car parking again in the disabled spots and was told it was ok to do so, I wouldnt lose sleep over it but was a bit miffed. The room was as expected, clean and tidy, the shower had decent pressure although wasnt hot. It served as a base for the night and couldnt complain. We had a drink in the bar in the afternoon and just before going out for dinner, I found the Lager (both Heineken and Fosters) very poor, having had Fosters in a local pub only an hour before and there was a huge difference. The breakfast the next morning was self served buffet, There was a decent choice, Bacon, Sausage, Black Pudding were all good, Hash Browns were excellent, the scrambled eggs were both hard and runny at the same time, quite off putting, the coffee was undrinkable. Decent selection of Cereals and Yoghurts. It was ok value for money but given the choice I would stay again.

Slow check in even though I had supposedly checked in the day before online when i had received an email asking me to do so. Room was fine with a good shower and nice bathroom. The hotel is old and creaky but lots of character. I had my evening meal here which was good. Breakfast was disappointing. Buffet style and food was i would describe at best only fair. I wouldn't add on breakfast if i stayed here again.

I represent Ardmore Language schools and Cognita, who run the teacher's Chilean school. This hotel is a charming half- timbered building with an annexe which was formerly a coach house. It somehow manages to appear both grand and cute at the same time. it is also homely, comfortable and very traditionally British in the best way. it's a real find-it's so nice to know such places exist. The dining room and bar are spacious and the food is a great mix of traditional and cosmopolitan with an individual twist and great attention to detail in its flavours. Everything about the hotel evokes high quality but in a relaxed atmosphere. Finally, I must mention the staff. I can't single out any individual because each and every one has been kind , considerate and incredibly efficient. I and the others in my group have been helped with everything from local geography and amenities to computer problems and illness. Nothing was too much trouble, So, thank you so much to Solvita, Tatiana, Jade, Sue, Maddie, Evie, Veronica, Scott, Kay, Fatima, new boy Ben _ a worthy addition to the team and, of course, manager, Ricardo. Well done, everybody!

The hotel is conveniently located and the free parking is a bonus. The staff are friendly and welcoming. We had a very good meal in the bar. Sadly there is no beer on tap but we had a bottle of Southwold bitter which was excellent. The bathroom was okay but could do with a thorough scrubbing and ideally a refurb. The room was a bit small and dark but it is a very old building with beams etc so you expect that. The building was very quaint in fact. The breakfast was serve yourself and some of it was lukewarm but there was plenty of it. Overall we were happy. It was very good value for money.

Last minute booking as we are row training in brightlinsea early next morning so didn't have breakfast but dinner was superb, room great for price, lovely welcome, easy checkout - asked for more room coffee sachets no problem

My wife Julia and I decided to celebrate our 40th anniversary with family and friends at the Rose & Crown. What an amazing experience for all. We must thank a few people in Ricardo's team for their efforts to make our party for almost 100 go absolutely perfectly. Organisation of the facilities for the party, Sue; Mario,Kay and Scott managing the delivery side of the event; and after the event the night supervisor looking after us for a little bit longer before bed. The venue was set out just as planned and our DJ Buzby had us dancing all night with great music, we have had him before at the R&C and never fails to deliver. So to the buffet for the evening, absolutely sumptuous, catered for all tastes, even a couple of late late requests! Well done Chef and your team, could not fault a thing! However we have been asked by many, days later, to mention the mini pies. Wow Wow Wow; our only regret was that we did not have the forethought to have taken a couple of Tupperware boxes with us. We cannot wait for our next celebration to book into the R&C. Ian

This was overall an excellent hotel. I will list the things that were really good, as well as one less good point. Good things: 1. Staff were accommodating to my late arrival, delayed by Storm Eunice, and were friendly and helpful on the phone when I updated about my arrival time. 2. Free parking was available and I was able to leave my car until 5pm on the day I checked out. 3. The room was warm and comfortable on a wet and windy February weekend, with tea and coffee provided. The bed was comfortable. 4. The shower in my room was very good. 5. The hotel is in a lovely old building which is a nice aesthetic 6. The hotel was within reasonable walking distance of Colchester town centre and high street. It wasn't extremely central, but it was central enough that we didn't need to drive or use public transport during our stay. My friend came on the train, and it is walkable from Colchester Town Station as well. 7. I felt the cost was in line with the size, standard, etc of the hotel and that it was good value. Less good point: There were quite a lot of stairs, probably due to it being an old building. I was not aware if there was a lift available, and some of the rooms/areas seemed like they may still be inaccessible even if there was. This was not an issue for me as I am fit and hadn't packed much, but may be something some people need to be aware of.

Restaurant dinner service was totally unsatisfactory. Ordered a meal at 8.20pm it finally arrived at 9.40pm.It was like a scene from "Fawlty Towers" the barman was doing the cooking and serving both badly ,burnt overcooked food on one plate raw chips on another.We would not have entered the restaurant if we had known there was no chef or the wait would be that long.The waitress left at 9.30pm before our meals were served. One of our party went to bed before the meal was served. It was a total farce what went on .

Had heating problems. Receptionist was excellent in resolving the issue. After checking the heating she offered my wife a choice of 6 rooms. She gave us a very comfortable room in minutes. The hotel is a beautiful historical building.

We could not have been happier with the team and the venue. Food was fabulous everyone commented too. Venue rooms were beautiful. staff were excellent Kay and her team for the reception went the extra mile to make the day and evening go so well. Tatiana and the reception team were so accomodating and made sure everyone was taken care of. Mario and the bar staff couldn't do enough for us and if you're interested for a wedding there Sue just makes it all happen. With such a historic building it has its quirks but that is part of its charm. Definitely will return for the food!!!

We spent a night here for our anniversary, our room was lovely it was the four poster, spacious,clean and comfortable. We had a meal with family in the brassiere bar in the evening which was excellent. All staff were helpful and friendly and nothing was any trouble we can't recommend this hotel enough. We got married here and had our reception here a few years back and had the same experience.

Extremely thin walls- I could hear the entire conversation of the room next to me. I had paid for a premium room with large 4 poster bed. I requested to switch rooms- but was only able to downgrade to a standard room and received no refund. New standard room- had road works and concrete drilling outside - worst nights sleep ever. Will not stay again.

We held our wedding at this venue and couldn't have been happier! Our booking was efficiently organised by Sue and nothing was too much trouble. On the day Kay was absolutely amazing! She noticed the finer details with everything, for example she noticed our daughter wasn't drinking and offered her whatever soft drink she could ask for. Kay was on hand throughout the night until everyone had left and was the epitome of professionalism and thoughtfulness. Thank you so much! Mario in the main bar and the rest of the team in the evening were all courteous, professional and extremely helpful. The day went extremely smoothly, guests complimented the food and the beautiful venue itself. We are so happy that we chose this venue for our special day and couldn't recommend it enough! Secret little gem in Colchester ;-)

Attended my sons wedding on 30/12/21. We also stayed in the hotel. We had a wonderful day the food was exceptional & all the staff were extremley friendly & very helpful. Rooms were all very clean and comfortable. Highly recommend 100 percent .

We filmed an amazing wedding at The Rose & Crown, Colchester yesterday. The Venue was really great with so much history. The staff were so helpful and could not have done more to help us. A big thank you from us to you all and especially Kay, Sue & Mario who were excellent from start to finish. Food was delicious and served quickly which was very helpful to us.

Absolutely stunning service for our wedding. Shout out to Mario, Kay, Scott, Sue, and everyone else involved for giving Leah and I the best wedding we could ask for. Nothing was too hard for the staff and they did everything to keep us happy. The DJ, Brian, was also fantastic, even if he didn't play a certain Prodigy song! I would highly recommend this place for a wedding, purely down to the staff for being absolutely amazing throughout.

Unfortunately the mattress in our room was old/well used as it felt like we were sleeping in a hammock! Ran a bath in the morning to ease aching shoulders and back but the temperature wasn't hot enough. That being said, the room was warm and clean and everything else value for money paid. Love the old fashioned decor and look!

Room 300. Cold. Old dimplex electric radiators, Door to bathroom, top hinge broken. Ceiling slopes. You bang your head all the time. The sign to mind your hear does not help if you don't see the slope coming. Deadly. Was not clean round the skirting boards. Frozen in the night. It is December and had an thin summer duvet. Tried to ring reception at 12.30. Room Phone did not work. Fans buzzed alright from outside the closed window and drove me mad. Tried to phone for a blanket. room phone dead. Used my mobile. Still no answer but an answerphone. I got dressed, went to reception. Found someone. He didn't have any blankets but went to look, couldn't find any. I said I'm off to bed, if you find some bring it to the room. 10 minutes later he came to the room with a duvet from another room. I don't like staying in places that firedoors and fire safety is not a priority. I expect the bedding and accommodation to be way better. Probably someone leaving the firedoor open, did not help with the warmth on that corridor. It is not a disability friendly site in any way. If you have a physical disability, you will need to be some where else. It is allegedly a tudor building and there are steps all over the place. The hinge of bathroom door was broken and I had to wiggle door shut. The toilet kept running. When I eventually did get to sleep I was rewarded with a very late wakeup call. About 20 minutes late. Which was not helpful as I had a funeral to go to. At time of booking, it would be wise if reception explained lack of disability friendly site. My room door, the door finally opened on the 5th attempt from the inside. Again, not fire safe. The rooms could do with a refresh big time. The floorboards need nailing down. The fire protection could be better and better observed. Someone from Great Western needs to spend a night there and then they will agree with me, On the plus side. It isn't haunted, although for the Tudor experience, that would have been a novelty. However, in all seriousness. Haunted or not. I really had little sleep.

I think I would be hard put to have eaten a more revolting vegetarian option or a more uninspired Christmas menu. The menu was so poor that I thought the vegetarian option of root vegetable cobbler sounded more inspiring. Roasted root vegetable pie with buttery mash , cabbage and peas. The cabbage was interesting served as a charred cabbage, the only inspirational thing on that menu but I think that would have been a bit of a shock for some people. And it was hugely underdone with a thick stalk. The pie was in a dish with a massive, exceptionally dry pastry top and the contents looked like a couple of tins of baby food - it was puree in fact. The mash was jammed against the pie dish and was clearly frozen rather than home made and peas, well they were just peas thankfully. It was so dry - all of it, that it was almost inedible and sadly I was in a party where I could neither send it back not not eat any of it. It was really horrible, really dry, really tasteless and the under cooked cabbage was a challenge. Preceeding that was Creamy mushroom and pea Arancini - I didn't find a pea in this but it was three dry balls of rice on some salad. Bland beyond belief and over priced. The Creme Brulee was pleasant but badly presented with a nasty thick biscuit. The cost was around £25 which is far too much for a meal of this poor quality. I don't mind paying a high price for a good meal but not this sort of mediium price for absolute rubbish. Had I not been in a party it would have gone straight back. The hotel itself is a beautiful black and white building and I do think the staff were really helpful and kind. The meal was appalling and not even correctly described. I blame Best Western's management for htis not the the staff - I';d like them to sit down and eat this, all of it, and see how they felt. So dry, so dry. No vegetarian gravy nothing just this dry large piece of pastry and some unrecognizable puree like baby food. The other problem was the sheer noise of the other diners, opposite our table within 18 inches was a party of about 16 young women all yelling, no masks in site. Adjacent to them another party, much older, competing with them in terms of noise. Out of the blue, a tannoy announced that it would be 15 minutes before guests could go through to the restaurant. A tannoy! That's first for a restaurant. This was on a night where covid was increasing rapidly and I felt unsafe. We struggled our meal down and went back to our rooms. A really soul destroying experience.

We had our xmas party here food was amazing and party after was brilliant our bar girl kay was incredible the guys who served the good! Had the best night here would book for next year with our work cc

Room was dirty with rotten food in the draws that was over a week old . The rotten sandwich could of walked out of the room on its own it was so mouldy . Then to find do poo bags and used covid masks in other draws was disgusting. Iwill leave it up to your own thoughts what I said . On further investigation I found other important information ( data protection) from a customer that had stayed in that room 7-10 days earlier. DO THEY EVER CLEAN THE ROMS ?

Went to my work's christmas party on Saturday and sadly came away extremely let down by the lack of restrictions in place. No masks entering the premises, no-one checked if anyone had been vaccinated or negative tested, packed around the bar area, no ventillation, tables were back to back and extremely uncomfortable as other guests kept going out for a cigeratte break between courses! Needless to say, I didn't go onto the packed dance floor!! Such a shame as the food was superb but had to wait a very long time between courses! I stayed overnight, suppose to be an executive double but just a double bed and the bed was extremely uncomfortable! Questionnable plumbing as the cystern kept filling and extremely noisy!

Meal with work colleagues, restaurant was busy but previous functions were more crowded, it seemed well laid out. Our Hostess Kay worked solidly to serve us throughout the evening, the food was hot when served, I was happy with my choices and it was tasty. My only criticism relates to the length of time it took for the meal to be served nearly 3 hours for 3 courses, just not enough staff waiting on.

Had my works Christmas party here, nice meal and decent drink prices. Kay who was behind the bar was excellent! Happy to help, a Great laugh, and very accommodating. Would definitely book a Christmas party here again!

Around 25 of us attended the Christmas Party - and I can honestly say that we all had a great evening! The venue itself was lovely, very old-timely, cosy and festive The tables were all set out and laid beautifully, with Christmas crackers as well. The food was great, and the staff serving were extremely friendly, polite and attentive. We found that the waiting times between each course, gave us enough time to mingle with the rest of the group which was brilliant when there was a few of us there. After the meal, we had great fun having a boogie on the dance floor to some real classics! The only down fall that we could possibly give our night, was that we were all having so much fun that the night was over far too quickly! I have heard nothing but good feedback from all my colleagues, and we have even discussed our next Christmas Do :-)

The best Western is a lovely hotel, it is really clean and convenient to local amenities. The staff were truly lovely and nothing was too much trouble, the breakfast buffet had a large selection of good quality good. This hotel is a lovely hidden gem and I will definitely return.

Great location and party venue for first 2021 Christmas celebration but food not so great (Christmas set menu) … and limited choice of wine and fizz. A novelty to dance away after supper but probably a venue that only needs to be experienced the once …

We Attended the Christmas dinner / disco . We were seated around 730. From between 730 and long waits in between courses we were finally served dessert at 10:20pm . Although the meal served was “ok” we didn't wait for the tea/ coffee / mints to be served we may have been there all night . There must've have been at least 120 party goers in the Christmas spirit it was loud and most people just wanted to get the disco started with. Dinner being served so so late it didn't leave much time for dancing. The young waiting staff were brilliant and worked hard but It was clearly very under staffed for the amount of people there .

We stayed at the hotel for the wife's birthday surprising her with friends from Norfolk. The hotel had character and all of the creatures comforts you require & more. Perfect location for us just outside the main town for a stroll in for all you required joys, loved it

I really hope that we were given the last available room because it was the worst ever. The curtains were coming off the rails and had dirty marks on them. There's a door leading out onto a main road, where someone from outside tried to open and the traffic noise is awful. Not sure the rest of the hotel is any better, bit ours was terrible and I'm thankful that we're only here for one night.

We had a lovely stay here for a family get away weekend. Good value for money. Great staff. We didn't eat at the hotel but the facilities looked good. Nice bar. The rooms were a little tired but very clean and the beds comfortable. There was plenty of room.

My daughter was married at this hotel a few weeks ago. Upon arrival the courtyard full of Afghan refugees smoking, spitting, and some still in their pyjamas . Their kids were running wild or riding bikes outside the entrance. I went in the bar as soon as I arrived but stood there for 20 minutes as there was no staff manning it. When we sat down for our wedding meal, half of the dining room was blocked off so they could feed the refugees. We had just two waiters to serve over 50 of our guests, presumably because other staff were looking after them. A wedding card with £200 cash inside was stolen. The management couldn't care less. We had no music during the meal as “someone stole the lead 2 weeks ago”. Well, you had two weeks to replace it. At around 4pm I was walking through reception to go to the bar and there were around a dozen refugees milling around, some still in pyjamas! The food was dire, the service dreadful. My daughters wedding was completely ruined.

Very poor organisation. Terrible food. Bad value for money. Dirty, run down room. Old hotel is a selling point but no excuse for holes in shower tiles, mould, peeling paint, old and worn out carpet, thick dust, stains on bedding etc. Had a rosti and it was so salty, it made my mouth numb but I'm lucky because a friend of ours didn't even get her pre-ordered meal. They told her it was out of stock once they'd brought out everyone else's food. Breakfast was very bland.

Lovely hotel lots of character, ladies who run the hotel friendly, our room was nice ,comfortable and met our needs for 1 night . But when we checked in mid afternoon we couldn't get any food or drinks . Room had no hot water. What really let us down was breakfast everything was over cook and dried up , only had scrambles eggs which had a grey/green colour, pastry basket was empty. Our main gripe was the refugees were given fresh fried eggs the took all the fresh pastries brought out ,we felt they took priority. Then there was a child whizzing around on a scooter . Shame won't return.

Beautiful Georgian Building, Cozy and comfortable. very helpful and polite staff, clean room, good parking, central location, warm and welcoming bar with open fire, good value, good breakfast choice from cereals to cooked English breakfast.

Lovely hotel. Staff friendly. Food very good.... had room above bar area. Only downside Was very noisey until 1am coming from bar area... have stayed at hotel last 4/5 yeats running would highly reccomend ..

Attended an Elvis night last night(Mark Summers brilliant as usual) at the Rose & Crown, Colchester, with an overnight stay too. A great crowd was treated to a great evening of entertainment and a super 3 course meal. Thanks to Ricardo, the boss, for getting Elvis back to the R&C: Mario, Jack and Ilse amongst others for serving the good food and drink and Chef and the team behind the scenes in the kitchens. Ricardo shared with us a few of the challenges faced at the moment and they all deserve heaps of praise.

I don't no where to start beautiful building thats the only nice thing, hotel full of refugees running around, at breakfast they kept staring, kids were letting out wind while we was eating absolutely disgusting talking really loud on their phones, the kids are all on the carpark on their bikes and scooters getting near to visitors cars a few times they got to close to ours nearly scratching it with their bikes. Now onto the room nothing like the pictures on the website, toilet seat was hanging off water wasn't warm enough to take bath or shower. Road works started right outside at 6 on Saturday morning and 7 o'clock on Sunday morning, for the money we paid I would never stay here again refugees running around your car being rude at breakfast not for us thanks. Breakfast was cold so couldn't eat breakfast, definatley will not come back.

We held our wedding here last weekend and had an amazing day with thanks to Sue and her team, We had our problems in the build up to the day but all went to plan on the day. My only complaint was the change overs during the day was slow causing the over all day to run slightly behind.

We stayed over after a fantastic wedding reception, wonderful service and lovely food throughout our stay. Staff extremely helpful and friendly. Felt very welcome. Will definitely recommend to friends and family.

We have visited The Rose & Crown many times over the past few years . Originally it was very good . But unfortunately recently the service has become very poor . The new manager or assistant manager a woman with blond hair seems to be only concerned with closing as early as possible even when there is over 20 customers . As a customer when I go to the bar to be served I would like the bar person to be listening , not chatting to this manager or other bar staff to the point of not listening, having to constantly repeat myself , basically feeling like your butting in to their social life . We have spent thousands of pounds in this pub over the years and now feel as if we are a inconvenience as we are keeping the staff up . Most of them are now just miserable act as if they don't want customers as we are interfering with their social life . This used to be a great friendly , polite pub . Sort out your act ! !

It's the staff that make this hotel, from reception to bar staff, all have welcoming smiles, nothing is an effort for them. Full of useful tips on what to see in Colchester. Yes the rooms are a little tired but this adds to the character of the hotel. We were in 205 which was noisy as it's on the main road but by the second night we were used to the traffic noise. Very easy to walk to the main sites of Colchester. We enjoyed our few days at the hotel and a great base to explore not only Colchester itself but further afield too.

First break away for 2 years. Disappointing. Hotel did not live up to expectations. Rooms are cell like with malfunctions that staff weren't particularly interested in fixing. Parking was difficult on arrival. Wedding party meant the hotel was noisy. View of the car park was unpleasant with skips, overflowin wheelie bins and waste food on the floor! Gaol bar wasn't open - which was disappointing. Room wasn't serviced after our first night - no-one explained that we had to hang out the card saying "please service my room" - and the card was not provided!! Uncomfortable soft mattress and lumpy pillows.

Lovely old property fantastic staff but the noise from wedding party was really bad the drum& bass disco seems to go through all the upstairs rooms and when it finishes you have to contend with the guest getting in cars and sounding horns and shouting

The food is good, the whole set up is pleasant and attractive and relaxed. The staff are so polite and helpful. Ask for a quiet room facing the courtyard it's a ten minute walk to the castle and town centre

We stayed for only one night. We were informed on checking in that the establishment were accommodating an event. This was very noisy, and the noise went on very late in to the night. Wish we had been told before booking. Also, the bed was extremely uncomfortable, leaving me with back ache, the next morning.

Extremely dissatisfied with the level of service, Afghan people was put before our wedding,we were told on arrival that they would stay out of our space as it is a private event but they di dnt, we put in complaints about this but it didn't seem to make a difference, the wedding cake was never cut and handed out to our guests, our buffet food was never boxed up for us to take like we were told would happen, when asked about it on the night my wife got told that it was too g in the bin, but out of 80 heads of food only 10/15 was eate.the main food was nice done well for gluten and dairy free, but over all I feel like we had been forgotten about and I'm going to be telling them I want my !money back for parts the didn't do

The room did not offer vfm, eg. mattress needed replacing. Breakfast a little disappointing as quality not good enough for the price. Very noisy. On arrival we were informed that there was an event that evening but we shouldn't be disturbed. However, the noise was significant and went on very late. Would not recommend.

given the most noisy room possible with constant traffic day and night with family of elephant's about. little to no sleep for three night,you could hear every squeak bump and thud through the floor.As the title horrendous stay possible. The staff were all friendly and nice but didn't couldn't remedy any of our problems.

Stayed for a wedding. The wedding was fabulous,food,staff and disco great. The room was awful. Bed very uncomfortable. Toilet held up with a block of wood. Shower door didn't shut properly. The towel radiator in the bathroom was filthy. A towel from previous guest was behind door in bathroom. Bedroom wall plaster damp and blown. 6am the night porter was hoovering outside our bedroom door. The guest next door told him to stop. When I mentioned this to a very uninterested receptionist I was told it was part of the night porters job schedule. I said may be the management could make it part of the cleaners job schedule so it could be done at a better time for sleeping guests. 6.15 a delivery van parked outside our room with its engine left running. Understand deliverys need to be made but please turn engine off. The breakfast was fine. If you can then don't stay here as I'm sure there are better hotels in Colchester.

Stick to the premier inn! I was drawn to the beauty of the old historic building, however the rooms seriously let this place down, it's a shame as it could be stunning. Our two rooms smelt damp and one of smoke and urine, one of the bathrooms was not useable as the bath was so stained and tatty and the shower curtain stained with mould?! Or something else?! So noisy as we were in a room placed right on a noisy and busy road…even at 2am. Not pleasant for a family room.

Amazing weekend fantastic staff, beautiful food and a beautiful venue our wedding was perfect and all our family enjoyed there stay. The bridal suite is beautiful and amazing just watch out for all the steps. We will be visiting the Rose and crown again many times.

On our first night the assurance of sound sleep (as stated on the Rose & Crown's website) was shattered by a party from the hotel or premises nearby. Our room had no air conditioning so we had to open the window on this very hot night. The party went on until after midnight and was then followed by a tirade of shouting across the car park. With the party finished we tried to sleep, but the bed was so uncomfortable & old that the slightest movement resulted in it creaking. We woke up at 7:30am & got and I noticed the dust on top of the small mirror hanging over the tea & coffee making facilities. I could not believe how much dust was there; I got a piece of toilet tissue & wiped it across the top edge of the mirror's frame. The resulting dirt on the tissue was incredulous. This was not a day's or even a week's worth of dust, this was an accumulation over a long period of time, clearly showing that the room had not been cleaned properly in a very long time. The dust and grime throughout the room and the bathroom were atrocious. The room was reminiscent of a DSS Hostel. The state of our room was abhorrent & downright dangerous. In these difficult (Covid) times the emphasis is to ensure cleanliness, yet the hotel opted for the complete disregard for their patrons' safety & comfort. Avoid at all costs, for your own safety.

Just got back from 2 night stay at this wonderful hotel, What can I say,check in service from reception so welcoming and outstanding, room was outstanding clean and stunning, the bar is wonderful and the food well what can I say incredibly, look amazing, tasted amazing the same for breakfast service as well, You should be very proud of the team of staff at Rose and Crown, sue, Cathy,becky,jade, Tony that works the bar, not forgetting the lovely lady that was on reception duty 31st July and 1st August, she went out her way to get us taxi, when ours didn't turn up, so helpful. Outstanding incredibly service overall and would reccommed family and friends to stay. We will be bk again!!

On the positive side lady on reception was lovely, very friendly and helpful, car park right outside and a short walk to town centre. It's a lovely historic building and was clean and tidy. However our room 229 was directly on the road and we got very little sleep all night due to the constant traffic noise, another big disappointment was the food in the bar, on the plus side staff were friendly and helpful, but the chicken burgers we had were a real disappointment, for the price paid chicken was rubbery and chips deep fried and all stuck together, my wife being a hotel chef was not impressed. I wish we'd of gone with our initial cheaper choice of premier inn.

This was a quick booking in that it was last minute. I selected the standard room as it was for business. Lovely, quaint room, fabulously comfortable bed (I was room 202). Although the room was compact, it was absolutely perfect for 1 person. The en-suite was functional. Had all the shampoo and soap in there. The shower, although only a cubicle was like Victoria Falls and that's all you want, after all. Very clean, well kept and cozy. I loved it and will return.

Because my boyfriend is Asian, these horrible people are lying about him claiming he was smoking weed in their rooms. IF THIS WAS TRUE, the smell would of been all down the corridors making customers complain, the smoke detectors would of gone off and there would of been evidence but yet THEY HAVE NOTHING!!!!!!!! On the CCTV they have my boyfriend leave the hotel MULTIPLE TIMES to go and smoke a cigerette OUTSIDE, so WHY WOULD HE THEN SMOKE IN THE ROOM?????? I can only put this down to being racist and fraudsters trying to rob more money from us!!!! RICARDO YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED BULLYING A YOUNG WOMAN. I will be taking this further to make sure no other vulnerable people have to go through this disgusting experience AVOID AT ALL COSTS

Beautiful building within walking distance of the town centre. The rooms were clean and comfortable although there were a few dated aspects. The biggest positive for the hotel is the fantastic staff, all great but especially Rowena, who sorted out a big issue when Booking.com messed up. Wifi is great, free online parking was very useful and breakfast was top quality.

I would liken staying in Room 202 to booking a berth on an overnight ferry crossing, only to discover that your cabin is right next to the engine room: constant noise all night from what I assume is the cold store/refrigeration unit underneath, joined intermittently by the noisy air conditioning unit parked outside and just below the room. In a previous review my wife has highlighted issues we had with a lack of toiletries and hair dryer, as well as the chaotic breakfast we endured on our second morning here. Frankly, the breakfast staff on our first morning, and - more importantly - the receptionist who greeted us when we first arrived, are the only two reasons I have given any stars.

Good base for colchester. Close to amenities. Not noisy as on a busy road. Service good but rooms are looking a little tired. Good WiFi. Bar nice area. Some of the rooms can mean quite a trek and sometimes outside

I stayed the one night of 1-2 July 2021. There were relatively few other guests. The building is in this brand's best tradition of older structures. The impression that might give that it is located in the historical town centre is misleading: it is about a 25-minutes' walk up/down a fairly steep hill from that centre. Next to the hotel is a disused bus stop; the nearest stop into town is quite a long way away. Having come by public transport, I found this a bit inconvenient. It was impossible for me to judge how adequate the hotel parking would be if the hotel were full. Although it is also located at a busy junction, there was relatively little traffic noise while I was there. The half-timbered building has been tastefully modernised, in both the public and private rooms. The staff were friendly, welcoming and helpful. My room (210) was clean and well laid-out. The bed was comfortable, the wardrobe was large enough, and the desk was adequate, except for the lack of lighting. The WiFi and the television worked well. The bathroom was more than adequate, with an excellent supply of hot water. Breakfast was included, and a time slot needed to be booked in advance (COVID?). There was table service, with a wide range of choices, and the quantities were generous: my vegetarian version was very satisfying. Fruit juice was available on a self-service basis, with glasses much larger that hotels commonly use.

We stayed in a Executive King room and it was one of the worst hotel rooms I have ever stayed in. It was grubby, tired and in desperate need of refurbishment. The room felt dirty and the bathroom had water damage throughout. Apart from the room, the hotel itself is nice, a lovely old building, the staff were very friendly and helpful.

We booked the Rose & Crown to deliver 3 days training. Sue (Events Manager) and Rowena (reception) were just super stars!! They were so attentive and helpful. Nothing was too much trouble. They were professional, friendly and just very kind.

Checking in was slow, the receptionist decided to hide around the corner where she was not visible, then allocated room on 2nd floor annex where lift was out of action and my key card did not work first time so had to return to reception. Room dated and did not feel clean,signs of mould in bathroom. The noise outside went onto the early hours (sounded like barrel or bins being moved at 1am). The food I ordered took 30 mins (this was sandwich with chips), apparently glitch in system where Just Eat orders taje preference over in house orders (work that one out). Asked if I would like glass of wine to compensate said no because I'd already had 2 glasses then did not even bother to adjust my bill. Breakfast shambles again asked for coffee was given tea, then my breakfast was not even taken until I asked 15 mins later (3 staff members.. 5 customers). Just avoid this place it does not deserve its 4 rating. Chargrilled bacon,filthy skylight window.

Lovely old building. On arrival, very pleasant reception lady. Great service at breakfast on day one. Second night did not sleep. Room 202 seems to be above refrigeration/ air conditioning units. Very loud noise all night. Breakfast on day two was a shambles. People who were seated after us got served first. I ordered scrambled egg on toast, and was eventually served with a rubbery one piece omelette on dry toast. I sent it back. Waitress very flustered. I hadn't realised that our room would not be refreshed. If I had I would have booked a different hotel for our second night. Had to ask for a hairdryer as not supplied. Also not given any shower gel. Had to request extra shampoo etc. Could not recommend and would not return.

Last-minute booking, direct with the hotel. The bed was comfortable and the room clean and tidy overall. The restaurant service was very efficient and the food was good. The stay was good and the staff were very helpful, would not hesitate to stay again

After going here regularly for the last 25 years we were very disappointed with the standard of food now offered which is just fast food menu and now very poor. Still very well looked after by Tony which he gives excellent service and always friendly. Please please please bring back a proper menu and better chef. Sorry for bad review will not return until changes are made.

Stayed in this hotel for one night & that was enough. It is a very old hotel but it has the Best Western support so l expected a lot more.The staff were brilliant most helpful. The room was a good size, the bed although smaller than we were use to was comfortable. The bath had a dripping tap, the shower temperature couldn't adjust. Half of the lights in both the bathroom & bedroom didn't work & to top it all we couldn't connect to the wi-fi. For the price we paid & what we received we will not be returning.

Booking was easy and the reception welcome was great. So assume the staff are good. The outside of the hotel is lovely and the reviews were good, we had 2 x executive rooms..... very disappointing. Both rooms were not clean, one room had sticky hand prints on the headboard, all paint work had hand prints and the bathrooms were mouldy. Beds not comfy and was a an awful nights sleep. Wouldn't recommend shame as lovely building .

Stayed here for a week due to working in the area. I had a executive room what in all honesty was a poor standard double. The room needed a deep clean dusty throughout with splash marks and stains on the walls, unacceptable due to the current circumstances. The mattress was horrendous due to a large dip in the middle. Unfortunately I happened to come across the quilt underneath the cover as I was making my bed and it was quite badly stained what I wish I never saw. There was no towl rail or anyway to dry towels or wet clothing as the radiator was an old electric one with a do not cover sign on it. The plug socket the radiator was plugged in did not look secure to the wall and unsafe. The biscuits supplied with the coffee and tea were out of date and the Internet was poor especially in the early evening during peak times. Overall it was a stay where I was counting down the nights I had to stay in and have advised my company not to book here again.

Despite Covid restrictions in Essex The Rose and Crown Colchester made our stay very comfortable and pleasant. Friendly and attentive staff and excellent food! A great location from which to visit the castle, zoo etc.

My wife and I stayed for a Saturday night. Due to Covid-19 impacts and guidelines there were less staff working than normal and the bar was closed in the evening. We had to pre-order breakfast the day before including the time we would arrive to eat - a loss of flexibility but understandable in the circumstances. There was no room service due to covid. The service at breakfast and the front desk was friendly, efficient, and helpful. The hotel is old and full of character. Our bedroom was very spacious, clean, and had a very large 4-poster bed. Also a large bathroom down a few steps. Overall we felt it excellent value for money. The hotel is well location and is a 15 minute walk (up hill) to the town centre, and is close to the river. A few points to be aware of, in many cases due to the age of the property: - the room was at the front of the hotel and faced the main street, although the windows were double-glazed, the busy cross-roads outside was noisy. - the bathroom had lovely old beams in the ceiling and walls and was very characterful, but this included bits of metal and very old nails pocking out in places. - the bedroom was excellent but had surprisingly thin walls. It was if the couple staying in the next room were in our room ; we could hear every word they said and later in the evening, could hear everything they did - the bathroom had two windows. One had a blind.. The other in the corner by the bath had no cover and: there was a sightline to the building opposite to the toilet, shower and bath, which felt a bit uncomfortable, particularly at night with the light on. But overall we enjoyed our stay and would recommend.

I've just left this hotel and it was nothing short of brilliant! The first thing you expect in every hotel is both friendly and welcoming staff. This hotel delivers! The room was clean, spacious and blocked out any noise that may have disturbed otherwise. Ideally located being only a short walk into town. Was a very pleasant stay, if I end up in the area again I'd definetly stay at this hotel.

The Rose&Crown atmospheric ambience made a perfect base for our get together and was brilliantly well prepared for these difficult Covid times, making us feel welcome and safe. The staff could not have been more friendly or helpful and we thoroughly enjoyed mealtimes. Breakfasts were hearty and delicious and the evening meals were excellent, professionally prepared by a chef who clearly cared what he was cooking and presenting - we chose to eat in each night – Thank You!

A well prepared hotel for these Covid ruled times. All staff members were polite, helpful and friendly. Breakfast a little bit chaotic at times but very well prepared and presented. Would definitely recommend.

My wife and I had a very enjoyable stay which cannot be faulted. The tribute act was brilliant as were the hotel staff. Although these guys were working with a reduced capacity due to COVID-19, they absolutely worked their socks off to make our evening memorable. The food was excellent during the evening and the breakfast was top drawer. Very importantly I have to add that the precautions that were put into place, made us both feel very safe. The service was excellent all round despite being under pressure. Well done to you all; we will be back!

booked before lockdown, then came restrictions after restrictions then even more restrictions,but with advise from local council were permitted to open their reception hall with restriction for a three course meal with light entertainment in groups of two four up to six with social distancing, on arrival were meet by hotel staff who informed us what we must and must not do, hands sanatis and taken to our table, staff took our bar request,after a while we began our three course meal all of which was cooked and presented to perfection with no complaints ( apart from no steak knife to cut our steak) then came a tribute artist, the whole evening was very relaxing, complements must go to the chefs Josh, Oliver and Charlie and a big complement to the waiters Sain,Cullam, Sandra Brian,and the bar man Toni, with the best compliment to Rodreko the manager who along with his staff ran the whole evenjng so smoothly and professionaly.

I was accompanying my son to University and stayed at this hotel. The location was excellent and the room I was assigned was nice, quiet, and comfortable. As I am new to the UK and needed help in where to go to set up my son, I asked the staff many questions during my stay and they were amazing...Also during my stay, they provided me with what I need with a smile. Very friendly staff and namely the ones I met which were Rowena, Sian, Solvita, Toni, and Lisa. Also, on another occasion, I met the manager Ricardo that was also extremely helpful and he was patient and very well informed about many things and provided me with information that saved me days of research. The hotel experience was excellent and I am sure that I will be visiting this hotel every time I come to visit my son. The staff named above were amazing. Thank you.

My partner and I stayed here for 2 nights for my 40th birthday in one of the four poster rooms. There was dust on top of the poster beams dust on the dado under the tv, the bath tap kept falling off and no cups only disposable ones which we weren't aware of. The room was very drab & mattress was terrible. This was definitely not worth the £206 we paid

Stayed here for my sons wedding, staff were fantastic throughout our stay, nothing was too much trouble for them and the day went extremely smoothly. This was the first wedding they have hosted since Covid shut venues down, we felt very safe with all necessary precautions observed. Many thanks for a great stay.

Given Covid 19 we expected there to be differences to normal service, which there were and that was acceptable. However our so called Superior Double as per the website was anything but. Our first room was small, had a distinct odour and was next to the railway line. We were then moved to a more spacious room, however it was a very tired box with a 4ft 6 bed when our booking had clearly stated a bed over 5 ft. The room was airless and noisy, the safe didn't work and the bathroom had a towel rail and other areas that were distinctly grubby. I think Best Western should take a tip from Premier Inns with regard to beds and bedding.The staff were helpful but overall the hotel was looking tired. Breakfast was good but our evening meal seemed to have the deep fat fryer curse ie the salmon looked worse for wear. A wonderful old building with a great history but in my view in need of an over haul.

My husband and I booked this hotel for a 2 night break.on arrival we were given our room keys. We were given a room outside in the car park which they called the annex. That wasnt even attracted to the hotel. Once we found out way and let ourselves into our room, my husband and I just stood and froze. What a hugh disappointment it was. The room was like a broom cupboard.we couldn't believe how dirty it was. I could have cried! There was rust on shower doors and towel heater, there were marks on the ceiling/ doors and walls and the air vent was covered in dust! The kettle still had water in and water marks down the side. This wasnt what we saw on their website. So i went to ask for a different room. The member of staff just said "ok" and just gave us a room in the main building. As you can imagine a Tudor building with black beams and wonky floors. The room was lovely with a kingsize fourposter(cheap replica) But as we settled in we noticed that this room hadnt been cleaned for quite some time. NOT EVEN WITH COVID-19 REGULATIONS!! Even though they had hand gel on entry. I appreciate it back dates to the 14th century but the hotel was disappointing and disgusting. The dust was horrendous. I used a baby wipe on the tv remote and a i slightly wiped the telephone in the room. The shower doors were worn and had thick lime scale on. Grey dust lay on the black beams and around edges of the carpet.The mattress protector was torn. There were even dead moths in the room. We were only there for 2 nights so we hung it out. The mattress was very soft and comfortable but i woke many times throughout the night coughing. I woke the next morning with a sore throat and a slightly swollen eyes. I guess this was down to the dust level. Its a lovely looking hotel but in need of a very deep clean. We wont be staying here again.we didnt eat here either due to a breakfast being £11.95 and due to the cleanliness of the place. So we ate elsewhere. Great location for traveling to clacton ect..The pictures that i have taken are of both rooms. £158 for 2 nights... ok if it was a clean hotel but truly not worth the money here. See for yourselves.......

We got married at the Rose and Crown last year and planned on coming back on our first wedding anniversary. Like most things in life covid 19 put a stop to it. Last night, making the most of Eat Out Help Out and back dating our celebration we enjoyed a wonderful meal at the Rose and Crown. What added to our night is the first person we saw was Sian who worked on our wedding day and she remembered us. I have no doubt we'd have been welcomed with open arms regardless but it was extra special seeing Sian and reminiscing about our special day. We had a lovely meal, the food was delicious, all served quickly and piping hot. I had two courses and my husband only ordered one but instantly got jealous and started wanting my starter. The restaurant was full which was lovely to see but it didn't impact the service. Sian was very attentive. We thoroughly enjoyed our evening. The place brings back so many happy memories for us but even despite that it was just lovely sitting in the old building which has so much character. We had a fantastic seat by the window and just enjoyed looking out and watching the goings on. Covid wise there are signs and anti bacterial gel around and the staff are wearing visors to serve you.

Had 3 courses at the rose and crown today and the meal I had was amazing, perfectly cooked, good time out today. This is my first meal out since lockdown. I have a Camembert for my starter which came with some small pieces of bread, very warm and creamy as it should be, the main was amazing every time I've come here before lockdown the steak was always the best thing on the menu, very juicy, had lots of flavour in every bite I had, the triple cooked chips were cooked perfectly, normally they have so much oil on them but there's on had none which made it so much better. Would recommend coming here when you can.

Great staff, great food and great location. Pillows need to be softer but blah, thats all. Even with the Covid-19 pandemic in full swing, the staff were amazing. They made our children feel comfortable, despite having to wear PPE.

Stayed here for two nights as visiting Colchester zoo. Room only as limited breakfast options due to Covid 19. We had a room in the original part of this very old and lovely building. Looking at the floor plan I think we may have been given one of the smaller rooms, but it had a decent sized bathroom with a nice powerful shower. Room was extremely hot (but this was in the middle of a heatwave), no air con but there was a fan. I have rated the "sleep quality" as poor, this is only because I do not like excessive heat, and even with the fan on found it very difficult to sleep.

Stayed here 1 night ... was not given the room we had booked ..muck on walls and doors drawers broken ..1 pillow on bed only 2 cups in room nothing was rectified apart from receiving more cups and pillow very disappointed...stayed here before and was fantastic dont know why the standards arnt there anymore!

Due to needing somewhere to stay being a keyworker I was given a room at the Rose and Crown and I could not have asked for a better place. The room was spacious and comfortable, very clean and relaxing after work. It is only about a 15 minute walk to the town and castle park which is lovely to wander round and have lunch. The staff could not have been more accommodating and were extremely friendly, available for any queries or support. I cannot thank them enough for supporting me during this time.

We are key workers and have been staying at this hotel for some weeks, the rooms are spotlessly clean and comfortable. Lisa who we always have the contact with when we book or arrive is a credit to the company. We really do appreciate you accommodating us. Prior to these difficult times we always use your hotel for our staff and I can confirm that in normal times the restaurant and breakfast is great.

We were so pleased we were able to stay at this lovely hotel, possibly one of the oldest places we stayed in, which has peaceful and stylish atmosphere, combined with excellent food and great service. We hope to return there again to enjoy the ambience and sample more of the menu. We also enjoyed walking up to Colchester Castle and St Botolph's Abbey.

I really enjoyed a three night stay in this hotel. It's about half a mile from the centre of town but it was a pleasant walk. My room was lovely with wooden beams everywhere - I had an advantage being quite short. The staff were very helpful.

Very nice room, sperate building from the main. Was there at Christmas time, lots of "works Do's" going on. Was noisy, but all good fun. Very tight for parking, always busy. Very good breakfast, get the "Full English Breakfast." Very worth it, excellent service. Close to town & the local attractions, Siege House, Castle, churches, etc.

This is one of my favourite places to visit when with family in Colchester. The staff are always so attentive and happy to assist. We have a regular corner table by the open fire, and always struggle to choose from the ever changing menu, but that's because the options are always so good. On that occasion we had the white bait, scallops. Pork belly, lamb shank and risotto and all cooked superbly well and presented in a classic pub style. Highly recommend a visit.

I'd like to share my thoughts about this hotel. I stayed there for one month and I must say it was great. The room was very modern, nice and clean. The historical building of the hotel where you can find the bar and restaurant has the typical cosy old vibes. The staff in this hotel is amazing and very friendly. The ladies at the reception are always ready to help you if you have some problem. The hotel is good located and it's near to town center. If I went to Colchester again I'd look forward to stay in this hotel again. Thank you. :))

Our whole weekend was absolutely fantastic , our rooms were quaint so comfortable, the wedding was wonderful from start to finish The food was really great Lovely atmosphere A day to remember Thank you all

My partner and I have just returned home after a four night B & B stay at this beautiful hotel visiting family members. The hotel was spotless throughout as was our bedroom which was a spacious Superior. We found the staff friendly,cheerful and nothing was too much trouble. The breakfasts were cooked to perfection,piping hot,good quality ingredients and plenty to chose from. On our arrival on Friday we decided to have an evening meal at the hotel and were a little disappointed to find that there was no separate dining room and all meals were served in the bar for guests and non residents.When we went it at 7pm it was packed but we did manage to find a small table after a while.We noted that for almost an hour half the tables were occupied by non residents just having a drink. It would have been useful to have had an area designated for people enjoying a drink so that tables were available for diners.The fish and chips were excellent but we noted that the food on the menu,which was repeated nightly were mainly dishes accompanied with chips.As we were eating out with family it was not a problem but may have been had we eaten in every night. This one downside would not put us off returning to this wonderful hotel and we look forward to returning in the future.

Had a fantastic stay here all the staff were very kind ,the food served in the rose and crown was amazing could not fault it .we would stay here again . 10/10 all the way . if we ever come to Colchester again we will be staying here .

Went to the rose and crown Colchester for New Year's Eve This was my second year as I love it the staff are great food was amazing couldn't do enough for you We stayed over nite room was very comfortable the breakfast in the morning was also amazing very efficient service we stayed with friends we had a fantastic nite I can't think of any where I would spend Xmas and new year than the rose and crown Colchester Highly recommended

My wife and I enjoyed a great New Years Party last night. The atmosphere, food and DJ fantastic. We had an overnight stay and after a great nights sleep rose to a terrific full English breakfast. Thanks to Ricardo and his brilliant team for looking after us. Tony and Sian with great support from Misa, Joanna, Becky to name just a few. We will be back next year! Ian and Julia

My family and I booked the Rose and Crown for Boxing Day, I'm GF and contacted the hotel / restaurant approx 6 weeks in advance of the day to enquire and place my GF choice. When arriving on the 26th Dec we all met in the bar for predinner drinks before being shown to our table. Once we were seated I was told that my starter and desert were not available GF, so I was given another option of pate , I agreed to this but when it arrived I was given nothing to put it on, I asked the waitress for a GF roll, bread or oatcakes but was told they had none. I obviously told them to take the pate away because I couldn't eat it on it's own. The chef rushed up a salad instead. The main beef roast arrived but I didn't have a Yorkshire pudding which the rest of the table ( non GF) had but never mind. Then the desert which I hadn't ordered arrived, it was the usual GF desert of chocolate brownie, which was so dry I think it must have been sitting around the kitchen for months!! The whole meal was very mediocre and we will not be returning. My biggest disappointment was that I ordered the meal weeks in advance, so why were they unable to cater for me? Do not bother if your GF they really don't care enough to cater for you.

The hotel was lovely. Our room was a little noisy but we were slightly out of the hotel. If you stay in the main hotel it's fine. The room was goo and very clean. Breakfast was very good and had a lot of choice. Good for families. They do not take dogs though which was an issue for us and a reason why we would not stay again

We all had a amazing time , brilliant food and service best night we have had for a works event in years and the the dj was brilliant , we all danced the night away , did not want to go home. We will be back for more events fantastic , Thankyou to all involved from chefs to waiting staff and DJ .

Whilst the party event was well run the room which cost me £89 was very shabby the tv didn't work initially bath plug hanging off bathroom tatty and room generally tatty old fashioned badly lit and not worth the money in addition service at breakfast was poor with food not up to standard.

We came to stay at the Rose and Crown as we were going to a family party close by and from the moment we booked until the moment we left it was lovely experience. I booked online and received an email the next day letting my know that they had a party going on at the hotel the evening we were there and offering me the option to cancel if we wanted to find somewhere quieter. They also said that if we were happy to go ahead then they would place us in a room in a quieter part of the hotel. We decided to go ahead with our stay and I'm so pleased that we did as our room was lovely and peaceful. One of the best things about this hotel is the outstanding customer service. Within moments of inquiring about where to get a taxi the lovely lady on reception booked one for us. Everyone we spoke to was so friendly and when you're travelling with a family this makes all the difference. We ate twice at the hotel whilst we were staying. Once in the bar and then we had breakfast the next morning and I can honestly say that it's one of the best breakfasts I've ever eaten! It was freshly cooked to order and absolutely delicious! I had the pancakes with bacon and maple syrup which was heavenly and my husband and daughter both had the cooked breakfast which they said was absolutely delicious. Freshly cooked with lovely sausage and bacon. This hotel is full of tudor charm. Our room was lovely, beautifully clean with plenty of towels and tea and coffee making facilities. The ceiling is quite low as it is tutor after all but the room was huge and as a family room actually had two real beds instead of the usual double bed and foldup bed that you normally find in family rooms. We'll definitely be staying here again.

We had company dues at the Rose and Crown not for the first time. Staff really friendly and helpful as always. Food was really nice, well presented and hot. Few of us took advantage of the good room offer for the night of the party. I must say I had a really good night sleep.

Breakfast service and food quality poor food very over cooked and the smallest mushrooms I have ever seen scramble eggs like shreded rubber counter not kept fully stocked at all times tables not cleared i.e. Piles of our plates and dishes not cleared between courses making eating very difficult

Went here for our social groups Christmas meal as had been last year and food was lovely. However this year the food wasn't! Starters was ok as supposed to be cold the main however which was either beef or turkey for most of the table, wasn't. The stuffing looked raw, the veg was hard, the Yorkshire was cold. So much wasted food and money. Can't fault the waitress service as she managed every complaint with good manners. Won't return next year.

Very cute 14 th century property unless you're in the annex. Good breakfast, very helpful and knowledgeable staff. Went out of their way to help our disabled friend. Our toilet door did not close. Rusty soap holder, nice shower though.

Booked for Christmas three course meal and tribute show, good selection menu ordered in advance, called to take our seats just after 7-30pm side rolls still warm, 40mins wait before first course placed, slow placing main course with complaints of beef meal not having any yorkshires,sweet course being served while half the restaurant still eating main course,coffee no mints, tribute show was very good with national ELVIS winner Mark Summer,staff run off their feet need to have more staff and sort out kitchen to be prepared to avoid slow service,

Had booked the restaurant only to find we were in the bar, due to a wedding! No notification ahead of arriving. Menu was a bar menu not restaurant menu with no starters. Friend husband had scampi which was lethargic and under cooked with no garnish. My husbands and friends burgers were overcooked. My fish over done. Waitress didn't acknowledge our comments let alone act on them. We had to ask for a dessert menu. The tea was like knats. Desserts ok but basic. We had to ask for our bill. Lovely to see Tony though!

Conveniently situated not too far from the centre - 15 minutes walk. Or bus stop right outside. Spacious comfortable room at the end of a quiet corridor. Very friendly staff and the buffet breakfast was excellent. Car parking was good so we were able to explore some seaside locations. Would not hesitate to stay here again. (Bit late with my review but I forgot)

The Rose & Crown is an excellent hotel for a stay in Colchester. Within 15 minutes walk of the centre it is perfectly placed to see all the attractions. The hotel itself is in a old 14th century coaching inn and has a lovely feel to it. The rooms are well maintained and staff very helpful and friendly. Breakfast was excellent and cooked freshly for you. Very nice bar area and they even have real ale. Would definitely recommend.

If you are looking to stay in a place that makes you resemble the past of the the 1st city in United Kingdom, this is the perfect place. Next to Colchester downtown, this medieval stile property, will offer you amazing rooms, beautiful pub and amazing food options. Its a very well recommended place to stay.

Had a short overnighter - staff really friendly. Carparking was a little tight but managed to get a space. Stayed in the Annex - modern well appointed room. Would certainly stay again - very good location for access to town.

The bar, restaurant and lobby all hold true to the age and era of the building. The rooms are wonderfully updated. Our only complaint was the condition of the mattress. I was there with my daughter for the Uni open day and was thrilled to be able to book at the Rose and Crown. We had tried over the summer but it was full. A great overall experience and will always be my first choice while in Colchester.

Although a period hotel, they do also have a separate annex building where the rooms are modern, comfortable and clean. Hotel facilities are average with no room service after 9.30pm and breakfast not ready at published opening hours. Otherwise, staff were all friendly and nice. Sits around a 15 minute walk to the city centre.

Stayed for 5 nights during September, during those 5 nights the chef was late to cook breakfast on 2 occasions at 7 am, all the staff were very pleasant and friendly both in the hotel and restaurant/bar and the food was nice, the only down side for me was the cleanliness of the room, empty coffee sachet on the floor when i arrived, bathroom handle loose cobwebs in corners and dust/fluff on the walls around the extractor fan, which needed cleaning out. Both bedside lights on one side of the bed didn't work.

I stay here from time to time on business and find this hotel has real character being such an old building. Rooms vary considerably and it helps if you know which are the better ones to ask for as some can be quite cramped. Generally though, the rooms are quite comfortable. The restaurant for evening meals though is just a pub serving typical pub food albeit with quite an extensive menu. For breakfast there is a reasonable buffet selection with the option of a cooked breakfast if required.

From the time I arrived at this hotel, to the time I left, nothing was too much trouble, all staff were friendly and helpful. The room was clean, and the food was excellent. I really enjoyed my stay there.

I can not give Lisa and her fantastic team enough praise for making our special day extra special. Everything from the Friday night when we checked in up to the Sunday morning was done with professionalism and a lovely touch of Lisa's humour. The venue itself is perfect for an all inclusive wedding package. Fantastic food and all from waiting staff to bar staff were brilliant. Huge thank you to All at the Rose and Crown. Fully recommend. If your considering a venue for your wedding you will not get better. Thank you Pete and Julie HOOPER

I mean, the hotel is a very charismatic and dainty place. On arrival our room just looked like my nans spare bedroom and actually had the same dusty smell too. I was ok with it at the time because me and my partner do not stay in hotels often and just appreciated the time away but looking back at it and the pictures advertised I would've 100% asked for a different room as the pictures are absolutely nothing what we stayed in (room 212) this was probably down to the fact I used some Expedia points to pay towards the booking so we got put in the un modernized room with the loudest bath/shower you have ever heard, dirty carpets and wallpaper peeling off in the bedroom and bathroom walls. Bed was reasonable but we were also on a surprisingly busy side street which was noisy all throughout. Also given that the only convenience store around the area was closed (at Saturday 4pm) , a bottle of water could've been provided in the room. For the price it was a bed and a roof over your head, but, you get what you pay for!

Draught lager selection poor. Food really really good. Staff lovely, affable, helpful. Room clean and comfortable. Water not hot for showers. Great for one night stay. Had steak for dinner....cooked to my liking. Breakfast lovely.

Had my wedding reception at this hotel - we were a small group of 20 and were well looked after by all the staff. Everyone was very helpful and friendly. My elderly parents were with us and were treated with consideration and respect which was very important to me. The food was very good and the tables were laid out well and looked beautiful. Would recommend

Nice pub for a few drinks with the family. Friendly bar staff. Sat inside in bar area for a while then moved across to the small garden area, found it was a little noisy being next to the road. The car park has a barrier which you ask the staff for an exit code to get out.

Came here recently for a small birthday party for evening meals. Nice and historic place, with a cellar room, which we were able to use for the evening. Menu didn't look too bad, so we ordered some starters and the mains, with deserts to follow. Scallops quite succulent, so that was a good start, followed by lamb chops, a steak, a crispy chicken main and a risotto. Mostly pretty good, although the risotto was bland and the main ingredient of the salmon was forgotten. Deserts OK. Waitress friendly and willing to oblige with any requests but a little forgetful (forgot one starter completely and then the salmon in the salmon risotto) It would appear the food is probably aimed at the guests staying at the hotel rather than for outside diners and if you are looking for somewhere for a special or memorable meal, then probably not here. So-so, really.

We booked into the Rose and Crown in Colchester for one night and we were extremely pleased we did. It was in a good location with its own car park ( bonus these days), a lovely quaint interior with excellent understated service. Everything you could ask for in a hotel had been thought of but the onus is on the guest to ask for service rather than it be thrust on you. The room was spacious, well decorated and furnished ( with real furniture and not your usual hotel built in stuff). Bar service was great and we were told that as residents we could get a late drink if we wanted one. Reception booked our taxi to the football ground for us and there was a little secret garden we could sit in to enjoy our drinks. We didn't have a meal so cannot comment on that though the menu looked favourable- next time we will eat there. It was about a 15 min walk up to the town which was not a problem for us but could be if you have mobility issues.

We stayed here while visiting relatives. We had a lovely time in the pub and were surprised by the eclectic menu. Food was very good. Our children had fun exploring this hotel which is so full of character. Staff were very kind to let them run around.

Really old hotel with loads of character. Creaky floors, but that's to be expected in a building so old. Really nice staff and good breakfast, if a little on the pricey side (11.95) clean comfortable room, sadly no air con but we used the fan that was provided as it was really hot.

Good clean rooms, good food and friendly staff. Good range of beers in very pleasant surroundings. Very close to the town centre with good access to main routes and local shops. Secure gated car park to the rear of the hotel.

Stayed here for 2 nights in June. Very good hotel,excellent food and service, rooms very clean nice shower Comfy bed. It got quite warm at night but fans are supplied which helped a lot. As I was going to miss breakfast the hotel did me an early morning continental to take away..much appreciated. Would I stay here again?.. definitely.

An ok hotel. A pleasant welcome on the Sunday afternoon and also the same lady was very good on the phone when explaining to me on how to get to the hotel from the town. The room was ok nothing special in fact the bathroom was a better laid out and more modern than the room. (I know the hotel is in an ‘old' building. ) The checkout was very pleasant. The man on the counter at 6.15am was very unpleasant. Not evening a good morning or a goodbye and thank you for my custom. He needs to be told it doesn't cost anything to say thank you, yet can mean a lot. If the excuse is he was ending and evening shift that doesn't wash. Surely he is paid to be pleasant to customers to help them return at all times he is working at the hotel. In fact due to attitude and rudeness I cancelled my return visit to this hotel and have booked elsewhere. Tell him his attitude is costing the hotel revenue. Apart from that it's a hotel and is a place to stay if you need a bed for the night.

Whilst a pretty building in most parts, this is not what I need for a solo female travelling with work. My first room was in the old part, very small and dark with a ridiculous bathroom that felt like you were outside! I moved as someone requested a room near reception and I happened to be at reception asking questions. I didn't mind as thought that room would be noisy as so close to the bar and reception. However the next room was large but a strange smell. Not particularly unpleasant, just odd. Thought it would do. The room was very warm and the old sash window wouldn't stay open unless you jammed something into it, but then noticed the net curtains are not long enough so the people who live next door can see in. My biggest gripe- no room service!!! I hate sitting in a bar on my own!!! So I braved it and ordered a steak. The steak was ok but the steak knife totally blunt and the whole plate covered in oil. The chips, mushrooms and onion rings were like oil sponges.... revolting. So back to my room to sleep.... the smell seemed worse and the room so hot. To open the window was too noisy but found a fan in the cupboard. The smell now seemed to come in waves and kept waking me up. Bathroom had an annoying rainfall shower but no shower cap provided- had to ask for one. Pressure was pathetic. Breakfast was ok, cooked fresh to order. Would not return

Building looks lovely and full of rustic Tudor charm. Stayed here for work and on booking I'd requested a room with a bath. Check in was somewhat disappointing as had to ask a few questions later in the evening. Found the folder of info in bedside drawer but had to call down and confirm check out time. It would be great to update those folders as the place has incredible potential. It would also be useful to know how the heaters / towel heaters work. I called reception later that evening as couldn't work out how to operate the bath. Seems I'd got a bath tub with a shower - a bath plug level that was broken and a leaky shower door. The guy who came up tried to assist but said there were no bath taps. I was in 206, the side of the road and station. I accept this is an old building but where the wood has fallen away from the window closing, even the single sliding glass panel makes for a bit of a noisy room. Breakfast was ok, a warm welcome from staff. Check out was adequate - no how was your stay. I mentioned the bath, the guy hadn't left a message as he'd said. It's a nice rustic place - but with some extra maintenance and attention it could be great.

The staff during the whole day were excellent. The wedding food was extremely good and they made an extra special effort to provide me with gluten free food. When I was sitting in the evening having taken some cake for a relative they noticed and without asking the came up to me with some tin foil, that was very perceptive of them.

I booked an executive room for a 5 night stay as I thought that would give me a little bit more space and luxury than a standard double. When I first saw my room I was quite disappointed in how small it was. It was smaller than some Premier Inn/ Travel Lodge rooms I have stayed in and also had a small bathroom. Everywhere was very clean and well cared for with lots of towels. However, despite the small room, as the week progressed I began to appreciate the quietness of the separate executive block and got to quite like being away from the main hotel building. Being upstairs overlooking the car park meant that I was well away from the heavy traffic on the main road. Lots to see in an area that I am not very familiar with. The rather surprising warm weather for March enabled me to walk miles along the coast visiting Mersey Island, Frinton, Walton, Maldon, Brightlingsea, Point Clear and a wonderful 7 mile walk at Bradwell on Sea. I also had a good wander around Colchester and visited the castle. I need to come again to explore some inland areas especially Constable Country. I didn't have any evening meals at the hotel as I like to eat out late afternoon. The breakfast was excellent and was much better freshly being cooked to order rather than buffet style. I loved the crusty fresh bread as an an alternative to standard sliced bread. With being over in the executive block and being tired in the evenings after all the walking, I didn't really see much of the rest of the hotel apart from at breakfast. All the staff I met were very friendly and helpful. I will certainly stay here again if I return to the area but would perhaps like a slightly larger room next time.

We ate here and had lukewarm food. The chips looked and tasted rank, appear to have been cooked in oil that was past it. It is a shame because the staff are helpful and friendly but I will not eat here again.

Tonight 5 family members ate at the Rose & Crown (East Gate Colchester). Only the youngest of the 5 was satisfied with her burgers and chips! The fish and chips with mushy peas and chips and the marmalade roasted gammon and chips left a lot to be desired! The chips were dry, lukewarm and tasted stale! The mushy peas was tepid and the gammon was cold! When we informed the serving staff we were told the gammon is served cold! As it was listed under mains, served with chips and fried eggs we expected it to be hot! Baffled by the response most of the food was left by one person and due to hunger, the chips were eaten by the others! I hasten to say, we had stopped going to this restaurant to eat for many years due to the appalling food but returned after a very long break with high expectations. These were crushed very quickly and another decision made never return to eat and never recommend to anyone! The chef needs cooking lessons! It is disgusting that such awful food is served at such high prices! It's not worth visiting!

We stayed here recently on a trip to England in March. We had a lovely stay in a nicely appointed room with a huge bathroom. Loved it. As it was winter we were very glad of the heating and heated towel rail in bathroom, (we are from Australia). Got tired of Brexit on TV but that was not the hotel's fault! Great breakfasts, definitely recommend the fresh bread and pancakes.

Stayed here for a night with friends. Initially we had 2 rooms which were literally either end of the hotel which wasn't ideal. Spoke to the very helpful receptionist who helped locate another room much nearer. We stayed in the newer part of the hotel which we actually preferred even though the older part was full of charm and character- it wasnt for us on this particular stay. Rooms were clean and had everything you'd need for a nights stay. Beds very comfy too! Didn't have breakfast so can't comment on that. Would recommend this hotel if staying in Colchester.

I visited The Rose And Crown Colchester last week with friends. There were varied vegan and vegetarian options for both me and my wife. Have a look at our photos of our meal and the new menu. I have zoomed in on the lovely vegan options I would highly recommend a visit here. The log fire was burning which created a lovely cosy atmosphere. Its a lovely place to stay, eat and drink with friends.

I had the mushroom and walnut burger and the chocolate tart (both Vegan) that were most delicious. Good choice for Vegans and Vegetarians. A very welcoming and cosy restaurant. I loved the open fire. Great service!

Excellent hotel. Cleanliness excellent. Breakfast the next morning - good variety and full English good. Stayed over night after a party and the staff were excellent. Only two minors- water pressure in the shower was almost a dribble and the window wouldn't stay open without being wedged. Didn't eat in the restaurant but the food I saw looked and smelled good. Very quaint with lots of different knooks and crannies! Would stay there again.

Lovely building and rooms are quite nice as well. We were in the exec suite on business and it met our needs with no problems. Evening meals were always to a good standard and breakfast was good as well. One evening however the shower was cold and would not heat up; Otherwise, no real issues. There is parking on site and staff are friendly.

We booked this hotel after reviewing on trip advisor, and we were not disappointed. It exceeded our expectations based on reviews and descriptions and pictures on Trip Advisor. From the greeting at reception through to the service in the bar, everything was superb. We had an executive double room, which was massive, comfortable bed, very big bathroom, everything was better than we expected. We chose to NOT have a room in main part of the hotel (these are the oldy worldly rooms as they were not important for us, but those rooms are amazingly luxurious), we wanted more modern sleeping arrangements but with the oldy worldly charm of this fabulously historic building. Breakfast was included and you had a choice of continental or full English, and was whole and hearty and very filling, well worth it if you had to pay. We ate in the restaurant both nights we were there, and the food again was to die for. Good portions, and superb quality, and for the location and place very very reasonably priced. I had the rack of lamb first night and it was amazing, second night I had gammon egg and chips and my wife had salmon first night and rack of lamb the second night and everything was just superb. Defiantly have a great chef who knows his trade, well done to the chef from both of us. Check-in and check-out were simple, easy, and hassle free. No issues with the bill, everything was clearly laid out and no problems, nothing unexpected. Will definitely be going back again when we go to Colchester or near by. We would give this this more than 5 stars if we could.

Stay for a week in February whilst working in Colchester ,what a loverly place and the food is excellent and ample helpings and all reasonable priced ,but the only down side was the low ceiling great for a hobbit but bring over 6ft you have to remember to duck but worth it

Very nice people. Sorted out a minor issue (with the room) very quickly. Friendly and helpful. Hotel is clean. Food looked good although I did not eat there. A bit further from town than I had anticipated.

This hotel is located just a short walk away from the lovely town centre and historic Castle. The building is absolutely amazing from the outside and after venturing inside it still has all the historic and romantic charms. A friendly greeting on arrival and directed to our room. Wow what a lovely room! A four poster bed, spacious room with a shower and a bath - spoilt for choice. Had a lovely meal in the bar area, again nice oldy part of the hotel with a roaring open fire, it felt very homely. The bar staff were excellent and very attentive. They took our food order and it wasn't long before it arrived. Very tasty food and plenty of it. The bed was very comfortable and we had a good nights sleep. In the morning, down to the restaurant for breakfast. A nice morning welcome from the staff, lovely cooked breakfast and great service. Checked out after breakfast and walked up to the town centre. A very pleasant stay all round and the staff were fantastic. Thank you - we will be back!

We came for a family meal. My sisters meal didn't turn up with the rest of the families as we were told “the chef is doing it now”. Basically they forgot and only realised when my mum asked where her meal was! I had specifically asked if the vegitarian lasagne had peppers in and was told that the chef would be asked. I explained that I didn't want it if it had peppers in to which the waitress seemed shocked at the mear suggestion of vegetarian lasagne having peppers in. When my meal finally arrived it had peppers in! I was told that the waitress had checked with the chef and he had said there were not any!? I sent the mea back and around 25mins later my sister finally got her burger. The only compensation offered was one free desert and coffee. We won't be back!

Recently celebrated my Fathers 80th Birthday in the Restaurant, we were very impressed with everything they did for us, the food was great & the attention to detail was second to none, a special mention must go out to Sian & Her colleague who really looked after us on the night, they deserve a massive pat on the back. Looking forward to returning ASAP Kind regards Adrian Copeland

My wife and I had our Christmas Day lunch at the Rose & Crown and could not have had a more welcoming visit. The staff were very friendly and one of our waiters Robin, was very attentive and polite, although to be fair they were all lovely. The food was excellent and the character of the old building made for a memorable Xmas day.

Although menu was very good, sadly the food wasn't so good. Prawn cocktail was warm & watery with what looked like shrimps and probably about a teaspoons worth sat on top of a piece of tomato to raise the level of it and extremely limp warm lettuce. Turkey meal had most bizarre slice of rubbery stuffing with burnt roast potatoes which if possible you could try to scrape out any potato from inside & vegetables were not just al dente but raw! Had to wait a long time for a gravy boat as you were given a splash on the plate & dessert thankfully was edible as I had the panda cotta. Service was poor from staff with no smiles at all and one young gentleman actually through the Christmas pudding desserts down from a height. Amazingly it didn't smash or spill. Staff reaching across your face from wrong side to pass meals and all in all it wasn't pleasant.

This place is rustically beautiful and we loved our stay here. The room was not too big, but it was clean, neat and equipped with all the essentials. Staff was very friendly and helpful. There is a beautiful dining room where we enjoyed a delicious breakfast. There's some parking right next to the hotel and more about 200m up the street. Would stay there again.

Just enjoyed a fabulous lunch in this historic building. Great choice of meals, food freshly cooked and delicious. Service very friendly and welcoming, would highly recommend as a restaurant to enjoy a leisurely lunch with family or friends.

Historic Inn close to centre of Colchester. Very friendly helpful reception, Spacious room with good surface and storage space. Comfortable bed. Modern bathroom with rainfall shower over bath, Very good breakfast, continental buffet, hot to order. One niggle was water pressure quite low (this is why I have had to reduce overall rating from 4 to 3). Also by historic nature of building, some bedrooms a long walk up and down stairs and creaky, oak beamed corridors.

During the summer, some of the residents from a nearby care home had been able to escape the confines of their home to partake in a pub crawl to the Rose and Crown!!The staff of the Rose and Crown had been very friendly. The activity co-ordinator had arranged for some of the residents to enjoy an early Christmas lunch. The staff were extremely accommodating to the needs of everyone. It was lovely to see the residents enjoying the well presented and tasty meal, and it made a super start to their Christmas.

Classic 14th Century hotel, cosy rooms and very warm, especially in bar area. Comfy bed, but very little privacy when using bathroom! Shower did not work properly, which was a real shame. Just a trickle of water and very intermittent. This failed both days we were there, despite us reporting to receptionist. Reception didn't even ask how our stay was upon checkout, which I found a little strange. As a Best Western, we weren't expecting The Ritz, but this hotel could really do with some modernisation of the bedrooms, to get the basics right. We will therefore look for alternative accommodation next time we visit Colchester.

Good sized and comfortable room and friendly helpful service. Good powerful shower in a very spacious bathroom. Shame there was no actual bath but hey ho. Nice traditional pub style bar in the evening and decent breakfast buffet in the morning. Would stay again though would prefer not to be in the ground floor.

Can not recommend this hotel enough .Helpfull staff ,comfortable rooms and the best breakfast ever .Choose from a traditional cooked breakfast to berries and pancakes .The smoked salmon and scrambled eggs were outstanding .Hotel was spotless and the décor was in keeping with the age of the hotel .

We held a Centenary celebration dinner at the Rose & Crown on Saturday 10 November. The booking was expertly managed by Lisa Grantham, the service on the night was faultless and the food was stunning!

My partner and I had a lovely meal at "The Rose & Crown" Hotel. What a delightful old world building this is. A nice pleasant atmosphere and such friendly and helpful staff. The meal was excellent and excellent value. I hope to visit again soon.

After walking up stairs, across corridors, into the new part of the hotel and then bizarrely back down more stairs I reached a room that is clearly out of the way and hard to find... because the painters and the cleaners have never been near it. First impressions were of a small basic room with a bed frame and furniture I'm guessing were picked up in a charity shop as they blew the budget on a mattress and a TV. I thought the damp smell would be eliminated by opening the window, oh no wait, the window frame is probably partly to blame...it didn't fall apart as I opened it though so that was good. A visit to the bathroom confirmed the damp smell was here to stay for more nights than I was! Oh the bathroom...the kind of room someone would have been pleased with as they completed it, and then no one has cared for it since. One of those fancy wall mounted toilets is almost attached to the wall. The good news is it leans towards the wall so if you fall you won't fall too far, it may not be coincidence that the wall adjacent to the toilet was the only one not coated in black mold. The towel rail hasn't seen many towels, probably because people have spotted how much rust is on it and don't want to mark the white towels. That would explain the amount of dust on it. In this room the budget was blown on the fancy toilet and an illuminated mirror so there's no toilet roll holder, you'll just find the part used roll on top of the cistern. Oh and if you put the plug in the bath you'll need a teaspoon or something to remove it as the mechanism is broken. If you're lucky, as I was, you will be able to tell the hair colour of previous guests as you clean the bath before you get in it and remove their short and curlies. Back in the main room I discovered more evidence of previous habitation, coming from a Roman city it's always interesting to see how people have lived in past times. If a cleaner had bothered to pick up the biscuit wrapper from the floor next to the bin they may also have discovered the hair clip that was lying there, abandoned and unloved like so many hair clips in history! The eyes of housekeeping obviously don't look to either extreme as it wasn't long before my attention was caught by something waving around in the draft from the window...cobwebs...unsurprisingly the producer of this web had also moved out of the room, judging by the amount of dust and colour of it I would estimate it had been abandoned for some time! By this point I was looking for other vacancies in the area, however it was late evening on a Saturday so I was stuck in my first experience of Best Western! The bed did at least appear clean, which was a relief as I wouldn't even use the chair to put my dirty socks on through fear of staining them.I can say the hotel seems OK to have your wedding at, and I know, my room was almost part of the party that was vibrating the walls with their eclectic choice of musical delights. At least if the toilet fell off the wall the reception room toilets were right outside. I can't comment on the food though, despite my interest in the history of the Rose and Crown and my intention to dine there in the evening and paying in advance for breakfast I decided if the room was cleaned to the standard it was then the kitchen....well...I didn't want to think about it!

Stayed here for 2 weeks the first week I was in the older part and the second week I stayed in the new part. Both really nice food is gorgeous and open late. All the staff are really friendly. Both types of rooms I stayed in were really nice and clean

Staff, rooms, food, parking excellent. We stayed from Monday to Friday. Breakfast was great although less pastry choices if you are at the end of the sitting. Ate dinner there every night with lots of choices and most plates filled. Room in annexe not huge for two people but fine. Would recommend. Not as close to town as we thought, we aren't young and made the walk once. Parking in town is not well signed and expensive.

Had a lively stay all thanks to shanes origami lesson. Took us down to the own prison cells and taught us how to make a crown out if napkins. Went the extra mile completely. Such a great experience. Thank you shane #geeza

Totally recommended, as this place is value for money! 10 mins bus ride from university of Essex/ Colchester campus, 10 mins walking to the city.Staff is helpful, pleasent and caring! If you stay, you must try the whitebait (starter) at the bar and please mind portions are huge! The cook/ kitchen is perfect! Amazing food!

Very disappointed in our stay, the room we had was in the older part of hotel so ceilings very low. My partner is 6' and hit his head several times and then spent the rest of our stay hunched over in case he hit his head agai. The shower was just a handheld attachment with nowhere to hook it to stand up to shower so had to hold it or sit down to wash. The food was amazing and bar staff very attentive. I did ask if we could move rooms but the receptionist didn't seem interested. I understand they were busy but just basically told me it's what we should expect staying in a building of this description. Our friends had a room other end of hotel which had normal ceiling height. Had we of known before booking we were going to be given this room we wouldn't of booked to stay here so unfortunately we won't be returning....

Really enjoyed this hotel on our one night stopover. Very welcoming and friendly. We stayed in the newer annex and were very comfortable. The room was clean/comfortable and had everything we needed for a one night stay. We ate in the bar for dinner and were impressed by the service and quality of the food. The off-road parking was a bonus.

Great place to spend a few days and explore the country side. Great food, the room and cosy and clean, the service is excellent and friendly. When we arrived the rooms very ready and keys waiting for us.

As you enter the Best Western Rose & Crown Hotel at Colchester, Essex, first impressions are that you are stepping back into history in this Grade II listed building which dates back to the 14th Century. It is situated in East Street, Colchester - which is the oldest recorded town in Britain. At the end of the 17th Century long distant travel was by horse drawn coaches across England, during this period the Rose & Crown was a Coaching Inn for travellers from the City of London to the port of Harwich. Today the Rose & Crown is an AA 3 Star award winning hotel under the management of Ricardo Santa-Rita and assistant manager Lisa Grantham, it has 39 bedrooms some of which in the main historical building feature four poster beds, it has a delightful 75 seat Dining room and a large function room for events especially weddings which is rated by the social media as 'The Top Wedding Venue in Eastern England'. I stepped back into history for Sunday Lunch at this impressive and relaxing venue, my visit began with a welcome in the Tudor Bar by Manager Antonio Amado and staff who provided pre-lunch drinks from a selection of quality Ales, Lagers and Spirits together with an International Wine List. I had a traditional Sunday Roast Lunch which was delicious with a glass of Adnams Real Ale, for dessert I couldn't resist the Rhubarb Trifle. In summary the meal was excellent in every way as one would expect from this type of venue, compliments go to Chef 'Tamas' and staff behind the scenes. Every room has free WIFI and there is spacious free parking, I enjoyed the lunch in this lovely atmosphere and will certainly be back again.

A comfortable value for money hotel. Stayed here to visit the local area and was not disappointed. Room comfortable and clean and the breakfast was freshly cooked to order. Very good service. A bit of a track to walk into Colchester but no real problem.

Group family and friends stay for a wedding so only a very brief experience. I would like to say how great all the staff were. From very helpful reception to EXCELLENT service at breakfast. Young lad you'll do well what ever you do. Breakfast was also excellent. Bed not great but only a minor gripe. Ta! Lost shirt man !

Had a great weekend in Colchester, staying at the Rose and Crown. Room as very comfortable and spacious. Breakfast very tasty. Bar well stocked. Easy access to the town. Walked to the concert at the castle.

Stayed here for a friends wedding, needless to say we we're very impressed with our room and loved the old theme of the hotel. Staff were friendly and beds comfy.... Breakfast was tasty and with plenty of options.

We needed a hotel with parking within walking distance of Colchester town centre. In the end because the walk in is not that pleasant, we caught the bus from outside the hotel which was an unexpected plus point. Our room was not in the old part of the hotel and was standard fare and a bit tired. The basics were right however and the bed was comfy and the towels acceptable. It was a bit strange to only have 1 bedside table lamp and there was no shaver point in the bathroom. The room rate was good value though and we appreciated the bar facility for the evening.

i should have walked out as soon as i walked in............ waited forever to be served ..... even though only 1 other table of people in whole place. the young waitress messed about moving tables and chairs infront of us ...... i have no idea what she was doing. ordered two roast beef dinners. the beef was as tough as old boots and the roast potatoes were rock hard... diabolical. no chef know to man could have thought that was okay to serve. made me laugh because waitress said ill be back with your veg and extra gravy ......... but then stopped to seve drinks inbetween serving us. didnt matter we didnt need it... walked out hungry again another place to avoid... colchester has such an array of resturants its hard to believe how hard it is to get decent food here .......

My friend and I stayed here for one night whilst walking the Essex Way. For the price, the stay was amazing value. We had a room in the annex across the car park. It was newly refurbished so everything was clean and fresh. The room was bright and airy and spacious. Dinner was very tasty and good value. Breakfast was excellent with a great choice of fruit, cereals, cheese, pastries, cold meats and a great vegetarian cooked option. This was an excellent value for money stay and we had s lovely time here. We would highly recommend this pub for food and accommodation.

Great value for money supported by very caring and dilligent staff. Breakfast was of good quality, parking was easy and hotel cleanliness was very good. We had a room by the coridor, which you could hear people walk by, only down-site to for our stay

This is a very pretty hotel and we were lucky enough to sleep in the oldest part. If you stay in the same room be wary of the door frame - it's incredibly low! The window was tiny, but the room was a decent size. The bed was comfy and we had more than enough space to get ready and then head out for the evening. We were there during one of the hottest weekends of the year, but there was a fan available so we weren't too hot. The only bad part was the bathroom, which was a little small (and warm) and the door through to the bedroom was glass. I love my partner but we do keep some things private!

Stayed here a couple of nights ago for a quick business layover and to be honest I was pleased to leave. The good points: Beautiful building but please be careful if you are tall. The rooms have very low ceilings! The bed was exceptionally comfortable and limited amount of secure parking onsite. My room was poor, I arrived and had to ask for toilet roll, the bed base came apart and so I had to ‘put the bed together' before sleeping. The noise, as mentioned by another guest, is quite substantial from traffic and trains through the night. The place was filthy! The bathroom had had a ‘wipe' round but the towel rail was grimy, the sink needed a proper clean. The ceiling was so low you couldn't stand in the bath to use the shower and the water pressure is very poor! And to top it off it looked like they had left the shower gel bottle on the sink from the previous guests as it was half full. There were internal windows which were positioned at such a height that people walking by could see straight in your room. No blinds and the light was left on on the hall all night which shone straight into the bedroom. (See photo) Breakfast was horrid! I had a bowl of yogurt, raspberry and granola only to find half way through eating it a pubic hair! (A very different colour to my own I might add!) So waited for my poached eggs, mushrooms and bacon I had ordered. This came with 1 slice of bacon, 1 terrible poached which tasted like it had been cooked in dish water (so was left) and raw mushrooms (which were also left)! It was awful! £12 for the privilege of a slice of bacon! It was left and I walked out. When checking out I was never asked if I'd had a good stay and if everything had been ok. 2 jugs of water in reception with lemon slices in were still there the next day and were cloudy and stale. Not changed for fresh water. Over all I did not enjoy my stay which was a shame. I wouldn't return.

In July we were here for the third time the last six years for a weekend Colchester. The food was a great (diner) and also the hospitality was fine. But I must say that the breakfast was not what we used to have as the other years. It was probably to busy this weekend but that should not be an excuse.

Car park was barriered and opened automatically to allow us to clear the road. Reception was ok but not enthusiastic. Found the room on the first floor, up narrow steep steps. Large step into the room. Creaking floorboards everywhere but this is a very old building. Room was comfortable but noisy even with the double glazing closed. Traffic and passing trains right through to past midnight. Breakfast was ok except for no smoked salmon one morning. Only one waitress was cheerful, the rest did their job but didn't appear friendly. We booked a table for dinner on two nights and we were shown to the bar, not restaurant. Food was good and served in a reasonable time.

We enjoyed an evening meal with friends in this quaint old hotel. The bar is not huge so best to book a table but they have an extensive menu choice. A little warm on a hot evening as the old Elizabethan windows don't open!!

We had an overnight stay, and the check in was great, with a pleasant member of staff. The trouble began when we went to find our room. The room was possibly the furthest away from the Reception and Bar Area. We had to go up and down a number of staircases, which was not indicated when I booked the room. If we had been old or had walking difficulties, we would have struggled even more than we did. The room was basic, and the view out of the window showed painting materials, in a small garden area.We travelled to the bar, a long journey, where we had a drink. The bar and waiting staff were exceptional, very pleasant, and they couldn't do enough for you. The meal was poor, with overcooked, almost burnt fish cakes, and undercooked, hard chips, and a poor excuse for a salad. The only good thing about this hotel was the staff, everything else was VERY disappointing.

We stayed at the hotel overnight as our daughter was attending an open day at the local university. We had a good deal on a family room. The building is fabulous, traditional and chock-full of character. We enjoyed the food, which was was well-presented, tasty honest pub food. Facilities were good; the only issue for us was it was an extremely warm night, but considering our room faced a road it wasn't excessively noisy. It's a bit of a walk to the town but there is a lovely park close by and the Siege House is a very short walk, as is the Goat and Boot which sells rhubarb cider - need I say more?! As a base to stay for exploring the area I would think it's a great choice.

We recently held our Masonic Ladies Festival at The Rose & Crown Hotel, Colchester, and it could not have been a better venue. From the early planning, Lisa Grantham was exceptionally helpful. Nothing was too much trouble for her. The evening was a great success, the food was excellent, not one complaint or moan from 135 guests, only praise for the service. The team of waiters and waitresses were superbly managed by Stefan, who ensured all of our guests were well treated. Our evening was a great success, we were most definitely looked after by the whole team on duty that evening. Thank you!

We went there for a formal dinner,130+ diners! The bar was rather small for the large numbers,but I thought cooed very well. Seating arrangements were well laid out, and looked nice. Because we were table 8 of 14 or 15,our food was a little slow in arriving,but when it did it was very pleasant. All in all,I think they did very well!

wow you could feel the history seeping through the walls. Il be back in September. Our room was stunning if a little low ceiling but hey that's to be expected, the food was a bit of a let down in the bar but ideally located for discovering the history of our oldest recorded town

I stayed at the Rose and Crown the night before my wedding and my wedding night. The staff were so helpful on the day of the Wedding. When my husband and I got back to the room the staff had decorated our bed with Red rose petals and gave us a complimentary bottle of Champagne. The receptionist took me out to the bridal car under her umbrella as it was raining. The hotel itself is wonderful. Very old but my room had every facility. Its steeped in history. I will definitely stay there again and look forward to doing so,

Stayed for sons wedding for 2 nights. Lovely old building and stayed in a room with four poster bed which was spacious and lovely. Had breakfast both morning which was really nice and staff were extremely friendly and helpful wedding was held at rose and crown and the day was beautiful. Again staff were very efficient and helpful and the wedding breakfast was great

We stayed in the new building at the Rose & Crown for a wedding. It is a beautiful, ancient, and well-preserved building, so if you like half-timbered hotels with low beams, sympathetic decor and rabbit-warren floor plans you'll love it! The staff are all great: courteous, helpful and attentive. The waiters were all charming, and made sure that those of us with allergies and intolerances were fed appropriately, even if they had to invent a solution which wasn't on the menu. The food is great and beautifully presented. The windows open, which is a definite plus! The staff will fix all the problems they can possibly fix, but sadly, some just can't be solved quite that easily. The two main problems were: The mattresses are not supportive. They are too soft. Some appear to be in desperate need of replacement (I was shown various rooms to see if any would be better for me). Neither my husband nor I slept well, and we both woke - predictably - with backaches. The room we were in (in the new part) appeared to have been created by someone with no clue how to design a hotel room. The bath was quite high and a bit difficult to get into easily, and the shower was powerful enough to hit the opposite wall, if turned on incautiously, and that wall had a non-waterproof shelf which had degraded badly through constant wetting. I'm short-sighted, and had to squeeze sideways between the loo and the handbasin to get close enough to the mirror in the bathroom to do my make-up. The switch for the electric towel rail was actually outside the room, next to what looked like an air conditioning unit (which didn't seem to work), so in an effort to turn the air-con on, we ended up heating the whole room even more. And the hairdryer is hidden in a lift up flap of the desk. The problem with that is a) you don't know it's there until you've laid out all your stuff on the desk and start searching for it, and b) it's captive, and the mirror you're suppose to use is on the underside of the lid, which cannot open more than halfway because it hits the wall-mounted TV. We asked for help, and when the lady pulled out the desk, it was clear that the room hadn't been cleaned thoroughly for a while, because there was a dusty old cigarette packet down in the corner. This assumption was borne out by the fact that when I turned on the portable fan later to try to cool the room, it blew a cloud of dust towards our beds - a bit of a disaster for me since I'm asthmatic, and spent that night wheezing and coughing. The fan cage, on closer inspection, was caked with hanging clumps of dust. Sadly, since I'm extremely short-sighted and also have cataracts forming, so this was not apparent before I switched it on - I just assumed it would be clean! Most of these are small inconveniences and won't worry most people, but the dust and the mattresses were big deals for us, sadly.

We arrived mid afternoon from London to be welcomed by very friendly staff. We were shown to our room that was accessible from the ground level. The room was what we required in a room for people with limited mobility. We eat Dinners and lunches at the Hotel which were all very good but the Breakfast was just the best, lots to choose from both continental and full English. When we return to Colchester our accommodations will be the Rose and Crown.

We used this hotel as a stopover on a longer journey. We enjoyed a good meal in the bar the evening we arrived. Beautiful old building but the room was clean and comfortable. A slight confusion working the shower was the only glitch. We would be happy to stay again.

Only stayed for 1 night. Arrived earlier than check in time but was welcomed by reception. Creaky stairs & corridor floors but only to be expected in such a lovely old building. Double room was clean & comfortable, though the bathroom was missing a toilet roll holder.... it had to balance on the towel rail! Wi fi in the room was hit & miss. We had drinks & a light snack in the bar, efficient service. We found the hotel handy to walk to town to meet friends in the evening (went to Colchester Arts Centre) didn't have breakfast Sunday morning but found a very good local cafe!

Considering the age of the hotel the facilities were very modern. The food was excellent. Breakfasts with a lot of choice for continental or cooked. The bar meals were also good. Staff helpful and friendly. The only problem we encountered was the shower control was very stiff, but this was apparently because it was new.

This is the third year running we have held our Branch Dinner at the Rose and Crown, and once again the service was fantastic, swear the food gets better and better each year, big thanks to Lisa for her hard work and to Stefan and his team who looked after us for the evening, already booked for next year

Excellent staff,the room although not large was comfortable, and very clean,we did not eat there in the evening but the breakfast was excellent.The bar was comfortable and service good.Old clochester is a short walk away. Would stay again

We booked an executive room for my sons wedding which was being held at the Hotel. The room was in the modern annex and was a very nice, clean, modern and quiet. Breakfast was lovely. From start to finish we were made to feel welcome and all the staff were more than happy to go out of their way to make our stay wonderful. The wedding, Wedding breakfast and evening reception were fantastic. Thank you to all the staff at the Rose and Crown.

We booked this on a fairly cheap deal when visiting friends in Colchester. I can't fault the room at all, particularly for the price we paid. The staff were warm and friendly and welcoming and the room was spacious, with a nice view, large bed and all necessary facilities. It was so close to the main centre and has access to shops and bars nearby. Next time I am in Colchester I will definitely stay here.

We stayed overnight as my daughter was competing at Colchester Gymnastics on the sunday. The hotel is easy to find with limited parking. The welcome & booking in was easy & straightforward. Our room was at the back of the hotel in the older part. Our room had a double bed and a single too. Wardrobe, wall hung tv, dressing table, plenty of plus sockets and was overall a pleasant room. The bathroom was clean, roomy & a hot shower. The beds were comfortable but, the room at night was freezing and it seemed the heating just wouldnt work and the blankets that were on offer were unappealing and some sort of grubby tan felt material which I refrained from using & asked for a fan heater instead, which was offered once I advised I would not use this blanket (I have an odd aversion to felt and many other textures). We hoped to eat in the bar very early evening as it had a roaring fire and looked quite cosy however, they did not do a childs menu, only reduced the portions of what was on the evening menu and most kids just like chips, nuggets, pizza, sausages etc but this wasn't on offer, so we ventured out and went to Nandos. The breakfast was buffet style of continental choice and had some good choices of various cereals, pastries, toasts, jams, marmaldes, fruit juices, coffee, tea and plentiful and then you could order your hot breakfast. Nice hotel but I wouldn't stay here again just purely because of the heating situation in the evening and dinning availability for children

A beautiful historic building, stayed here several times (even though live local) great location for going out in town and when family visit, staff are always friendly and helpful. Rooms are always clean and comfy beds, especially the four poster rooms. Food served in bar area is always great, or just have a drink, lovely atmosphere, go down to see old prison cells! Looking forward to staying again at Easter.

This hotel has some very good aspects, others not so good. We arrived for a four day break on a Wednesday evening, to be greeted with complete indifference by the receptionist, who was doing something with her computer and left us standing for a time before greeting us, although we were the only people there. As a very old building there are no lifts, however we were not offered help with baggage, and told to take the stairs up to the room. Being in my sixties I had expected help with the bags, perhaps she thought I needed the exercise! The room itself was delightful, lovely four poster bed (which we paid extra for) but overall it was fabulous, with a very good en-suite. The only downside is that the walls are paper thin, so noise travels through them, and there is very little insulation so the bathroom was very cold. (The weather was sub-zero so this was only to be expected in a building of this age). We dined here on the first evening, decent pub-grub rather than fine dining, but OK. Breakfast was amusing, I ordered fried eggs and bacon, only to receive one small egg and one very small piece of bacon, not quite what I expected. Perhaps the most annoying thing about this hotel is the background music, which plays everywhere at all times, and seems to consist (for those who remember these) of early 1970s 'Top of the Pops' albums, popular music but not by the original artists!

Warm welcome and liz on reception went the extra mile to help us out ?? Bar staff were like the yeti I knew they was there as others had been served but after waiting at the bar for 10-15 minutes I gave up??

Perfect stay in room 204, beautiful place and very polite staff keep up the good work, room was perfect and just what we needed for a break away bed was comfortable and food was good.... for the age of the building its kept in good condition

We have been here and stayed many times before. The building is full of historic character, the food and drink is good and so is the service. Stefan T, one of the managers there is excellent. We prefer the rooms in the old building, particularly the four poster rooms - rooms 204 or 205.

Room quirky with low beams, sloping and creaky floor. Broken armchair which I had to have replaced and a broken but useable lampshade. Bathroom , although well equipped, lacked a shower screen. Dinner in restaurant was excellent, both food and staff. Breakfast was a different manner as my eggs were undercooked in spite of requesting 'well done'. Buffet items were not all present until I pointed it out. Overall, I guess the breakfast was an anomaly but overall, I would still recommend it if asked by friends.

Room 127 smelled damp and of stagnant water. Hotel obviously know of this due to the air freshener on top of the wardrobe going off every 15 minutes. The access to the room is tortuous, up the stairs along a corridor and then down the stairs. Not good for elderly.

We stayed just the one night. The room was fine and bed comfortable. Reception, bar and restaurant areas full of history and character. The staff were very helpful. The hotel is situated close to the town centre.

Hotel room good; evening meal & bartender very good..... oh but oh, the breakfast was absolutely shocking! Scrambled egg was a dollop if rubbery, grey substance on the plate... and the salmon was of poor standard.... sent the breakfast back and not offered any alternative options from the waitress.... not what anyone should expect. Won't be returning in a hurry!

Great hotel. Room was lovely, food was great (chefs house curry) and very helpful friendly staff. Only wish I booked more time. Would definitely recommend the place to anyone. And I shall be returning :)

This stay started out as a two night stay, however...The hotel was so lovely that we checked in for another night, we were happily accommodated, this did mean swapping rooms, no dramas. Food is super tasty, but mostly the staff are the most professionals yet friendly and helpful lot we had encountered. Will definitely be back

What a stunning historic building. If only every blackened beam and every creeky floorboard could speak. What a story could be told. I booked the 4 poster bed room and when we walked in we weren't disappointed. Really nice bathroom (a bit chilly bit not so much that was a problem). The main room was dominated by the bed which was beautiful and one of the comfiest we have ever slept on. This room warm perfectly warm and very well lit. Showing off all the charm of the beams. The only reason this did not get a 5 was because of how thin the walls seemed. Um let's just say that after the performance of next door. We weren't quite sure wether to applaud or ask for an encore........

Stayed here at the weekend. Has its own parking & high street is a 10 minute walk up the hill. Checked in & found our room ok even though it was a bit weird to get to! Had to go upstairs then along a squeaky corridor, back down some stairs then another bendy corridor! Room was nice,lots of space. The only thing was it was so hot!! There was no thermostat to adjust so we ended up putting the fan on. Could hear the people upstairs walking around but it's such an old building I suppose that's to be expected. Had a drink in the bar which was nice but didn't try the restaurant.

What a shame, what used to be a very busy hotel, restuarnt and bar has turned out to be a ghost town and a shadow of itself. I had a drink in the bar tonight 23/02/18 and noticed that the restaurant closed and there was about 10 people in the bar and I thought to myself "what has happened and where are all the customers". I used to work at the hotel when it was NOT UNDER the Great Western Banner and the restaurant was run by Franco. The restaurant on a Saturday used to be packed along with the bar and they both had a great sense of atmosphere, but today it lacked customers and atmosphere. Sitting in the bar feeling nostalgic I felt very sad to what once was a great restaurant, hotel and bar, the Dedham Tolbooth must be rubbing their hands and laughing.

As a family, we stayed here 1 night, and upon return after visiting London, had pre boked and stayed anothr night We had completd a lot of travelling in a short space of time and were quite exhausted The following mornng, we had over slept and missed the breakfast, when I enquired, the receptionist just looked at the clock and said beakfast is finished We were not even offered a cup of tea and slice of toast Rather we had to pack up and order a taxi to find somewhere to find breakfast - this I found very disappointing and not so nice However on the up side the place was clean and tidy, but this left a bit of 'Would i book here again'

After researching many venues we decided to have and plan our wedding at the Rose and Crown. When I read a review I expect to be reading a 100% true and honest review of the writers experience without sugar coating... so heres mine! Our wedding was booked for 10th February 2018. All the arrangements were dealt with by Ms Lisa Grantham. Lisa from the day we met to the end of our wedding was simply faultless, professional, friendly, courteous, flexible and went beyond, just brilliant!!!! Our wedding experience throughout was for myself and my, now Wife, perfect. The venue is beautiful, the decoration was beautiful, we were able to add our personal touches too to the venue. The food without exaggeration was amazing, we had multiple comments from guests on the quality of the food, top restaurant standard as far as many were concerned. The staff during the wedding were courteous, polite and professional. Stefan who was orchestrating the staff during the day could not do enough for us. I'd like to pass on my personal thanks to all the staff for making an important day so perfect for us. I would recommend having a wedding at the Rose and Crown in a heart beat. Our wedding was on Saturday 10th and we stayed at the hotel on the Friday night too, my Wife with her friends who were decorating the venue and my friends too, some who had come from abroad. We drank in the gorgeous bar and most ate there too, again the food was of a very high standard and we plan to return to eat there again in the future. The accommodation of which there is plenty and varied is great, clean and comfortable. On my wedding night of course I stayed with the Mrs in the Bridal Suite, stunning, beautiful, comfortable, felt like we were in a different century, beautiful and very large. Again the wedding experience from start to finish... perfect, our stay the night before was very nice though for a few of our friends the bar closed a little early, around 12 ish. The night of the wedding we all finished up at 12 midnight and a few of us including myself were still full of partying but understand other guests are in the hotel. Would have been nice to go to the bar and have a chat and a quiet giggle with our staying guest but this was not an option. Breakfast on the Sunday after the wedding sadly seemed a bit unorganised. We were a large wedding party and many of the guests stayed in the hotel, taking most of the rooms and all had been booked for sometime. Breakfast was from 8am till 10am, guests including my wife tried to get breads, cold meats etc at around 09.25 only to be told they would not be replenished due to the time but there is cooked breakfast available. Explaining some didn't want cook breakfast and there should be available the same breakfast throughout we waited a long time for this to be rectified. Service was slow and items on the cooked breakfast list like black pudding ran out after waiting quite a while for food. Again the food is fantastic but a little slow at this time, the day before was ok. In summing up the whole wedding experience from start to finish was perfect 10/10, Lisa and Stefan deserve a medal, they and their staff a credit to weddings at the Rose and Crown. Amazing venue and Bridal Suite, great bar staff, general staff, food 10/10, DJ Karl 10/10, can't wait to visit again, just sort out brekkie!!! Many many thanks Brian and Riikka x

A hotel with real character, black and white timber framed building. Great bar, that has a real pub feeling to it. Fifteen minute walk to town centre where there is a great selection of restaurants. Staff very helpful and friendly.

Weird way to start a review but... I had to come and go a lot during my stay. As you come through the door from the car park, the reception desk is straight in front of you. However the receptionists seat is so low you can only see the top half of their eyes. There is no way of telling if they are smiling or scowling. The toilet in my room was really blocked on my last evening and not very nice! Breakfast was excellent and the young staff very polite , friendly and attentive .

Nice venue for a great wedding Rooms comfortable but struggled to see the executive touch Staff were ok but only one member of the waiting staff ( Dan) stood out as being friendly and took the time to talk to us and was a credit to The Rose and Crown

Stayed here for a meeting one night and overall had a good experience. The front desk staff are great, and really helpful and my room was clean and had all the amenities you could want. The only down side was the amount of stairs, i stayed on the ground floor but had to walk up a flight, down a corridor and down another flight of stairs to get to my room. The food in the restaurant was actually pretty good, and again the staff were friendly and accommodating. I would stay again.

There is not a huge choice of hotels in Colchester but plumped for the Rose & Crown as it looked to have character and nice rooms but I was a bit disappointed overall. the service was a little erratic and the room was OK; not as good as the photographs and what i was led to believe.

I met up with my old work lot for a Christmas dinner and our party was about 20 people. We all sat down and the food came out almost instantly. The staff were great and even one of the waiters brought me out some extra pigs in blankets. From what I could remember, the dinner was nice but nothing spectacular. There was a great disco after and we had a great evening. I'm just not so sure I'd rush back.

The hotel was chosen for a weeks business trip as a result of checking other reviews here on trip advisor. I have never ventured to this part of the country before, to be honest other that the working day, I spent the rest of my time in the hotel. I was placed in room 215, up a few stairs, along a creaky corridor into the bedroom which was pleasantly large with a double bed. Bedding clean, everything I needed was available during my trip. Shower, t.v. Kettle with plenty is 'makings', with an iron and board in the fair sized wardrobe. There is Wifi in the room. Night time was quiet with the odd noise from footfall in the corridor. Breakfast is served in the morning in a Restraunt for breakfast only, quick service, food hot and plentiful. The only hotel staff I met were reception (very helpful) waiters (very pleasant) and bar staff (very friendly) . The bedroom cleaned every day, to a high standard. The evening meal, cooked and presented very well, the beer was cold and the (bitter) was reasonable, good choice in the bar. I check out tomorrow and if I was ever in this area again, I would be happy to stay here and pay for my wife and myself.

Stayed here for two nights during a business trip. The hotel is in the Tudor style and very beautiful if somewhat creaky. Rooms are of a decent size and have good facilities, tv, free (fast) internet, plenty of tea and coffee making facilities. Breakfast is perfectly acceptable although nothing to get too excited about. Will definitely stay here again as I will be visiting Colchester on a regular basis for the foreseeable future.

visit here Sunday 7th Jan for an evening meal, party of 4 people all had roast dinners and although meal was nicely presented, everything on the plate was cold, I also had a dessert of homemade ice cream which has no flavor what so ever. Considering they were very quiet for meals I cannot believe that a place like this cannot produce 4 hot meals. Extremely over priced and very disappointing

We held our wedding here in Dec 17 and the hotel and staff were fantastic especially the wedding team who couldn't do enough for us. The hotel is really beautiful with good facilities and parking. The pub / restaurant does lovely home cooked food and catered for our wedding with a 3 course meal incl a roast turkey dinner. They also dealt easily with my dairy intolerance both at the wedding and previously when we had dinner in the pub on a visit. The rooms in the main building are especially beautiful and although look very traditional they have all the mod cons needed. Would recommend the hotel, the bar and both for a wedding venue :-)

There was a lot of confusion at the start of evening and didn't get seated till 8.30pm when should have been 8pm start. We were told it was because of late booking they had to set up another table. Couldn't this have been done when everyone else was seated. Also they were putting up a balloon net whilst people were eating, surely that could have been done earlier in the day. The food was not to our expectation either, when we went up asked where was vegetarian the chef lifted a lid and said these vegetable's that were in with the lamb. Anybody knows if you are veggie you do not have veggie and meat in same dish. They then brought out a veggie alternative after we had sat down, so other people must have complained too. The disco was very good and played music that we could all dance to. Stayed overnight and had breakfast that was ok! The whole place could do with a bit of refurb. Overall I don't think we will be returning for a new years eve.

Main issue is vaping allowed in the main bar area. This area is also used for bar meals so expect vanilla or strawberry smoke to permeate your meal and drinks. Function was fair but disorganised. Rooms are adequate but not much luxury. Soft sprung mattress had seen better days.

went to new years eve party and stayed overnight and had breakfast, went with my wife. Excellent party, good food and room . Staff good although bit disorganised. Breakfast was good with a very good choice.

I have stayed here on many occasions over the past 6 years but the latest stay was not up to standard. Needs a complete refurb. Staff need to be trained to be able to take down orders correctly and to keep on top of replenishing stock. Radiator in bathroom was permanently switched on and could not be turned down without a spanner. Shower screen leaking and bath panel had staining. Poor maintenance.

Entrance blocked by delivery lorry had to go through exit barrier to get in. Receptionist sent us the wrong way, got sent back and made our own way to restaurant where there was no one to greet us.  The seating white board was still showing Thursday 14th. I then managed to find the booking sheet and where me and my guests was seated and made our own way to my table . STARTER - OK MAIN - Veg very hard  & gravy over salty and the turkey dry and needed the cranberry sauce to liven it up. DESSERT- Best part other than my guests who had Christmas pudding. The puddings was individual brought from a shop probably from the pound shop as they looked cheep and the amount of custard but in the plate was a joke it was just a drizzle I had to ask for more custard. At no point was was never asked how any course was, waitress was just rushing around to ensure everything had finished before her shift finished.  All of my guests and myself left most if our veg as they was rock hard and nearly raw, this was pointed out by me to the waitress who pretended not to hear. I found it funny that I got one bill for drinks and another for food.  Surely it could have been done in one transaction, but no I had to pay at reception. WOULD I RECOMMEND THIS VENUE - SIMPLE - NO I WOULDN'T AS OVERALL IT WAS NOT AN ENJOYABLE EXPERIENCE. This is my first visit to the establishment since Best Western to it over and my last.  I have used the Rose and Crown previously and was it always good experience even though it was expensive but always good value for money.

Stayed at this hotel many times, as usual room clean and comfortable and staff very helpful Loads of car parking spaces, Only disappointment the cooked breakfast. However, this could be due to being the lead up to Christmas as there was a party there the night before so breakfast was not in the normal dining area.

The restaurant has a nice cosy feel. You order at the bar and the food arrives reasonably quickly. There is an interesting choice but perhaps over priced. The food itself was fine, we both had fish. The car park can be a bit challenging if you arrive at a busy time.

Perfect location but enough to have peace and quite , sfaff as always as I stay there regularly are always happy to help if need be with anything day or night ??. Been staying there since my son was 10 he's now 13

The Rose & Crown is a stunning historic building. It has a great atmosphere, a good selection of drinks and a real fire during colder months. Staff are friendly and the food is lovely and moderately priced.

I was so pleased that I had chosen this hotel as it was a fantastic stay. The building itself is stunning and very oldy worldy but has modern touches here and there. We were greeted on arrival by two wonderful members of staff who were extremely helpful. The room was absolutely delightful, especially the old mirrored standalone wardrobe. The large bed was comfy, there was plenty of tea/coffee/milk, an iron and ironing board was to hand along with a hairdryer. The room was clean and cosy and would have loved to have stayed longer than just one night. Unfortunately, we did not get to have an evening meal at the hotel as we were tight for time but the breakfast was absolutely wonderful with a nice choice of food. The bar was cosy and the breakfast room was beautiful (photo attached). I cannot fault this hotel and its staff in any way whatsoever. We will definitely return in the Spring for a couple of nights to enjoy the hotel and the surrounding area of Colchester. I wished I had taken more photos of the hotel to post on tripadviser. 10/10 for staff and hotel. Many thanks.

My colleague having stayed at this hotel prior to my arrival requested that I not be in Room 210 as the noise from that side of the building from the fridges was very loud and would keep me awake. On arrival at midnight after a long day at work I was allocated room 211, although I told the night porter about this situation he made a joke of it and didn't offer me another room, sadly very tired I decided to stay in 211 however the humming from down below was very intrusive. Apart from having a poor night's sleep the breakfast was very good and the waiter friendly.

My wife and I had a two day stay at the Rose and Crown. All the staff we met were very professional and helpful. The room was clean, comfortable and had everything you might expect from a Best Western. Both breakfasts were excellent. My wife had the continental and I the full English. The waiting staff could not have been more accommodating. The first evening meal left me disappointed. I ordered the surf and turf with "triple cooked" chips. The scampi was fine the rib-eye steak was rather "fatty" for my taste. The chips were the very thick "reconstituted" potato type which I dislike (totally different to my own triple cooked chips). However, my wife was delighted with her vegetarian lasagna. The following evening my tuna with chili dressing and some french fries were a delight. Again my wife was very pleased with her choice of meal. In common with too many hotels the bedroom lighting was too dim for comfortable night-time reading and the mirror-lighting in the bathroom was style over effectiveness. The hotel is rather old so plenty of low beams, long corridors and stairs so not ideal for anyone who has mobility problems. Worthy of mention were Stefan, Vicki and Petar as staff members who took particular care that you you were satisfied with the service In common with other reviewers we had a slight problems trying to find the entrance even though the sat-nav took us there. I was relieved went the barrier to the slightly hidden car park entrance automatically raised as we eventually entered Would I stay there again? – most certainly Would I recommend the hotel? – certainly unless any mobility problems The only real disappointment was the poor bedroom lighting.

I stayed here Friday evening free car parking a plus not far from town at all and speedy check in and friendly staff. We was given an accessible room although not needed, room 125 has a door directly out on to the street very odd I think it's due to the nature of the small hallways and beamed building dated cold room cheap furniture bed was a zip together so big and quite comfy. Had a wet room style bathroom water was luke warm and the shower stuffed in the corner took ages to get the warm water grubby toilet brush in the bathroom and general cleanliness not up to scratch for £80 a night. Wouldn't return unless a major refurb was Carried out tatty carpet cold and draughty better places in Colchester for the money

I've been having to stay over night in Essex for the past month and have usually picked a hotel when in Colchester outside of the town but fancied exploring. This is a wonderful place to stay, a piece of living history, even down to glass in the wall showing the wattle and daub. The staff incredibly friendly from stepping into the door. The friendliness exudes from reception, starting with the individually wrapped cookies on offer. The main event was the receptionist. Professional and offering me not only a hotel menu to peruse but a map where she indicated where the restaurants were after ascertaining my preferences. I only did not eat in as was in exploration mode. When I returned, having found the hotel on the list of historic buildings I had questions for the receptionist about the reported tunnel from here to the castle for convicts. She explained about how the river was bigger and rife with smugglers and the expansive tunnels accross the town which she herself had experienced as a child. She must have read my enthusiasm as not only informed me of the prison in the cella was even kind enough to take the time to show it to me ! WOW, the cells remain even if used for storage butinsuch a way one could easily imagen benn locked up in these tiny rooms with the original wooden cell doors and slide up wooden peak holes! She then showed me te original secured opening small door for I imagine gruel and water to be passed! As I has asked about the bridle suite she showed me this to. It was delightful with great character and a lovely 4 poster bed. My deluxe double was a goid size and had a generous ensuite with a full sized bath ( I think but I am short. However, in comparison with some hotels where even I get cold knees it was more than adequate. The breakfast -WOW, the best I have had in Essex Eggs Benedict, Florentine, pancakes, full range of starters, fruit and about 6 coolie including mango! I went for the full English but vegie sausages. The sausages were the herbir mash once cooked so the texture was of a fresh croquette, scrambled eggs also lovely and bacon again obviously cooked to order and crisp on the edge but not dry. The staff again were so friendly and helpful. Great hotel.

I stayed here for 4 days while on a course. I arrived at 1:30am and the night staff was very pleasant and did not pester me he asked for my name and gave me my room key. The rooms are your standard hotel feel. Every day my room was cleaned. The hotel provides free parking and Wi-Fi and the restaurant in the hotel serve excellent food with friendly staff. If your are to stay in Colchester I highly recommend staying here.

Arrival at the hotel went smoothly and the lady on reception made sure to explain everything to us that we needed to know which was good. We stayed in room 207 which was a executive double room. The room was spacious and seemed very clean. There was a kettle with the usual things. Tea, coffee, milk, hot chocolate but there was only one hot chocolate. Would have been nice if there were two as there was two of us in the room and we probably wouldn't have minded a hot chocolate each. Minor point really but it would have been nice. We stayed for a single night and the bed was comfy and the room was very warm. Heating was easy to control so that was great. We went out for the night and upon returning we settled into bed early to watch some TV as we were tired. Around 8:30pm there was a fire alarm, can't be helped, so we got up and made our way outside. However, everyone just congregated in the reception area so we just waited with them. There wasn't any direction from the staff to go outside or of what was happening. They managed to turn the alarm off after a few minutes but at no point did anyone say it was safe for us to go back to our rooms. One of the guests had to ask if we can go back and they said yes we could. I know fire alarms can't be helped but I feel the staff should really be directing all of the guests in these situations. We should have really gone outside to a fire point and we should be told when it is safe to go back to our rooms and be kept up to date on what's going on if possible. Breakfast was included in our stay and we head down about an hour before the end of breakfast. It's not immediately obvious where breakfast is served but we found it pretty quickly. Upon entering the waiting staff asked if we would like tea or coffee and said we could sit where we wished. The tea was brought out quickly, it was a little too cool for our liking but tasted fine. Since breakfast was included we weren't sure if we were entitled to a hot breakfast or just the continental. The waiter never said what we we entitled to so I asked do we just help ourselves and he said "Yes" and that was it. So we went to the table and it was just continental and cold food. My girlfriend didn't fancy any of it so I just grabbed some bread and jam and sat down with her. A second waiter then came over and asked if we would like some hot food or not. We were happy the hot food was included but it'd be nice to know this when we sat down to avoid the confusion. The food was lovely however. We had a Full English and Eggs Benedict and really enjoyed them. We did overhear one of the other waiters seat a couple and they were told hot food was included with their breakfast. I guess all the staff need to be sure they tell customers what they are entitled to. Overall though it was a nice stay and we were happy with the hotel. It's got some nice character and with a bit more attention it could be great. Used Tesco vouchers to book. Thanks!

We stayed here for two nights in October 2017 for a local wedding. We had booked it using Tesco Clubcard points so didn't expect 4 star luxury, given it cost us nothing. We got 5 star service though. The only downside was the room, number 203, a VERY small double with minuscule ensuite, almost impossible to wash in the basin. The reason I criticise it is only to warn couples that it is really too small for two. It was a pretty room, and quiet, but really a single in my view. Tricky when you are dressing for a wedding though. However the receptionist, whilst acknowledging the size, did say that some people asked for it due to its quirkiness which is fair enough. I did glance into some other rooms which were much bigger. The bed, although only a small double, was exceptionally comfortable, however. The upside was the service, and the breakfast. The breakfast, included in the booking, was very good, including most things you would expect from a full English plus some extras, which surprised us as we expected only to be offered the continental, given it was a freebie. And very well cooked. On arrival, the receptionist asked if we wanted anything else in our room, including fresh milk, which was a nice touch. As we arrived back late the second night the car park was full, but a staff member went out of their way to find us some space, another nice touch. And as we left for a long drive back the second morning, the dining room staff happily filled our thermos with coffee and fresh milk with no extra charge. These little things make such a difference. Everyone was so friendly and helpful which was lovely. We ate in the restaurant the first night, and the food was standard pub fare but generous portions and a reasonable price. Again, the service was brilliant. So we would happily stay here again, and pay the proper price, but choose a bigger room! A warm thankyou to all the staff and especially the receptionists.

Extremely helpful staff, beautiful hotel, very clean - Highly Recommend. Food in the hotel is gorgeous both breakfast and evening meal. Beautiful old property really lovingly look after. Staff very friendly and always ready to help.

there for three course meal and tribute show, starter meal served within minutes of seating,long wait of twenty minutes for main course, very thing on plate cooked to perfection apart from the roast potatoes, these were crispy and oily on the outside tasteless and hard on the inside to the point of near raw, plate after plate collected empty apart from the potatoes, these were not fully roasted these were finished of in a deep fat fryer, the sweet course was to die for plus the added little jar on honey to top it, with coffee and mints to follow,with the show well worth the £35

I came to this hotel for a family wedding, free parking which is a plus, it's no good for anyone over 5'7 as you'll constantly bang your head. Food was mediocre. I have to say wedding was beautiful. No cash points in the vicinity!

My partner and I recently stayed here and we were in room 214. It was a very disappointing hotel room, especially for £80. It was a tiny box room which was very dated. There was a clock by the side of the bed that had the wrong date and time on (not helpful), the tv remote did not work, the bedside light would not turn on and there was no air con/fan in the room. Both my partner and I struggled to sleep as it was like a sauna. The hotel itself is nice as it has a lot of character. But I do think it is overpriced for its dated and disappointing facilities.

The hotel staff is great send i really appreciate their help. ***** Everything else average. I was very surprised that during 7 nights of stay they didn't change the sheets. The bathroom - shower, is not clean as it supose to be... (Room 203).

We arrived for our pre-booked (through an Internet site) 4-day stay to find that somehow the Internet site had cancelled our reservation, and the hotel was completely booked for a wedding over the weekend. We were in a panic, but the receptionist and manager took it in stride. They had a room for Monday through Wednesday, but had to do some magic to get us a room for Thursday night. Even though we had to change rooms on Thursday, we were very grateful for whatever they did to arrange that, including moving all of our luggage for us. Needless to say we think the staff is fantastic. We will be booking directly with hotels from here on out and avoiding Internet travel site bookings

Very aesthetically pleasing from the outside and there is no disappointment when you enter. Old and charming with modernised rooms containing everything you need. We had a great stay with no complaints until a 2am wake up call from the fire alarm. Obviously nothing can be done about this it's just one of those things, however, upon finally realising it had gone on long enough that we needed to leave we were then stood outside for maybe 20 minutes with not a single staff member present. The fire brigade arrived and entered the building with all guests still stood outside oblivious to anything that was going on. After the building was seen to be safe one male member of staff arrived and just said ‘false alarm you can go back inside now'. Again, a fire alarm is a fire alarm, nothing you can do but the whole encounter was very confusing for guests with zero direction from staff members and none of them visible at all. Don't let this put you off though, a very nice stay and reasonably priced.

Friendly service from Tony and all the staff Always looks after everyone who walks in the door Food is very good and reasonably priced It is a lovely place to meet friends And family The building is old and has a lot of charm

We stayed for one night to get an early start out to Flatford Mill and Constable Country, which is a 15 minute drive away. Because of this we skipped breakfast on our departure so can't comment on that, but the evening meal was fantastic. I had the Belly of Pork and it was superb. We really fancy coming back for one of the Tribute nights which are coming up soon. Room was comfy and reasonably quiet, but the floors can be creaky which you would expect in a historic building like this! Bathroom was very posh and the shower was terrific.

Spent a few nights and felt really welcomed- Staffs are highly responsive to guest needs. The only flaw was that the breakfast starts at 7.00am and I needed to be at my meeting for 7.00am, so if you need to leave early,for the meeting, Not a place for you- But the overall service was impressive!!

Stayed here for two nights bed and breakfast as part of a wedding party. It was ok. The room was fine and we had everything we needed. We didn't get our coffee and tea tray replenished for the second night but the room was serviced well otherwise. The beans on the breakfast hadn't been heated at all. Otherwise a very pleasant stay. If I'm ever down that neck of the woods again, I would be happy to book another stay.

A building with history and every member of staff steps up to do their bit, even the ones you don't see. The food and service is excellent, We visited Colchester while travelling in the south east and will put the Rose and Crown on our list of choice when we return to the area. I would single out the young lady trainee in the breakfast area, she is a natural people person without being patronising. The bar staff are also very good, attentive to customers, while keeping the whole area clean and comfortable. I would imagine the building is hard to manage due to it's age, however we found the facilities clean, comfortable and full of character. Thankyou for a good two days........

We picked a basic room as only needed a place to sleep for the Doughnut Dash on Sunday. We had a family room so as per the price not the most comfortable and bathroom could have been cleaner and modernised. The staff however were all incredible friendly and helpful. After the race they even let us change in one of the more premium rooms. Highly advise to pay the extra and stay in the old part of the hotel with a four poster bed. Worth every penny.

Let's start with the star rating. This place is 3 star because it doesn't have a lift to all floors - well it's an old building, and it only offers sandwiches as the 24 hour menu - lets face it, who wants a burger at 3 am anyway? So based on its amenities it was given 3 stars. To me the quality and feel was 5 star and I was genuinely shocked to find it was 3 star but then found out about how the ratings work. The rooms - if you have any inkling to book the canopy room, just do it- you won't be disappointed. We had a bath withouse a shower over the top, a separate shower cubicle, lovely toiletries and a light up mirror with digital clock. The bedroom had bottles of water, tea, coffee and hot chocolate. The room came with a large wardrobe with full length mirror, iron, ironing board, fan and hair dryer. The bed itself was 4 poster and very comfy, we had a nice chair, table, desk and mirror and it was topped off by a gorgeous chandelier. There was a large screen TV for those lazy evenings in. The room had a beautiful coach house feel with old beams and traditional decor, very romantic! Booking dinner in the restaurant is a great idea, the food was sensational and they also have a 24 hour bar. We had Camenbert, surf and turf and a vegetable lasagne all of which were delicious. It was my partners birthday and the team were very helpful with taking a cake from and brining it out at the end of the meal... they even sang happy birthday! The breakfast was good, I had smoked salmon and scrambled egg which I recommend. All of the team are so wonderful and always willing to help. Should you book here - definitely, should you upgrade to the canopy room- you ll miss out if you don't!

Sunday lunch has never been as good as it gets here!! I very reluctantly share this information in fear of Sundays selling out! Easily the best Roast option in Colchester!! Staff is lovely and the beautiful Tudor pub feels ancient and welcomes you.. I go there every Sunday if I can!! Ps. The best sticky toffee pudding on the planet!

This hotel is beautiful. We turned up at reception and found out id booked the wrong night, but the lady in reception called cassie I think was amazing she called the booking agent and changed it over. The room we had was the superior room and was so nice. The shower was nice and the bath too. The bed was lovely and the tea and coffee facilities were perfect. We had a drink downstairs in the evening too which was nice too. I would come back again and again

We'd been clacton to the beach and planned to visit Frinton beach the next day. As it was a bank holiday weekend it was proving very difficult to secure last night accommodation. We weren't disappointed, staff are really lovely.

Traditional comfort in the oldest hotel in Colchester. Mind your head ! - the beams are genuine and very low. We had an executive double room on the first floor, overlooking the road, which meant it was a bit noisy until the traffic died down. Friendly bar with good value meals. Breakfast was disappointing, the chef couldn't do eggs - we tried poached, scrambled and fried during our three days, but the pancakes were delicious

Stayed here for 2 nights (not the first time we have stayed). Wonderful hotel, full of character, very clean, the staff are excellent, very helpful and friendly, we were particularly helped by Sue and Stefan

Excellent stay at the Rose and Crown this weekend. A warm greeting from reception awaited us. Our room was very good, clean and tidy and in keeping with the rest of the hotel. There was ample complementary tea, coffee, milk etc in the room. We ate dinner at the hotel which was equally enjoyable.

Used this hotel only as a base and so did not use the restaurant. Lovely old building and rooms cosy and clean. Reception staff friendly. Only two blips in our stay. 1. No hot water and we were told the boiler had not been turned on. 2. No remote control for the T.V. Both soon remedied.

Not the most scenic location. But that wasn't the reason for our visit. We attended a friends wedding and for that it was perfect. Full of old worlde charm a very well presented venue. Food was very good ,several bars. All very clean friendly staff in particular Casey in reception who dealt with us in a very friendly professional manner. Our room was very and bathroom modern with all cosmetics supplied. I would consider coming again and enjoy a meal in the bar

Super stay! Excellent hotel with staff that do go that extra mile. Liz at reception not only welcoming and efficient but arranging for my ice pack (recent knee surgery) to be frozen and accessible, the easy access room we were allocated, Stefan in the dining room, the breakfast staff were efficient and responsive. Evening meal was very good and breakfast even better . A suggestion would be to have Glamorgan sausages for veggie breakfast rather than the ones you had please!? Our room was clean with a comfortable kingsize bed. More expensive than we expected but cheaper than others due to graduation bookings that weekend. Parking was easy, would recommend and stay again. Thank you for a lovely stay.

The lady on reception was helpful but the welcome could have been better. We stayed in two rooms, both of which proved to be quite stuffy and stifling throughout the night which made sleep virtually impossible. (One of the rooms didn't even have a fan.) In R204 there was a blind missing from the bathroom and there was no holder for the toilet roll. The showers were very good and the beds were comfy. However, as breakfast was not included in the price, we did think that the room rate was either overpriced or highly inflated due to the university holding it's graduations during that week. All-in-all, we were disappointed, especially as this is a Best Western hotel. Air conditioning would greatly improve the overall comfort. Car parking was good and the location of the hotel was also good.

We chose this place for the night as a stopover for catching the Harwich ferry in the morning. It's in a pleasant enough area with a couple of decent restaurants nearby. Our room was spacious and comfortable. The only member of staff we saw was pleasant to deal with and both car parking and wifi was good.

The hotel is based outside the city center on two busy roads joining (of course these roads were already there in 1700, so it adds to the charm of the hotel). The hotel is old, with beams and unfortunately thin walls. So you can hear your neighbours quite well. The bathroom is nice and modern. Takes a while though before you get hot water. The bed was comfortable, but strangely enough below the sheets there was some plastic... you may really hope that people nowadays are able to hold it??? Reception is friendly. As the pub is on the lower floor, you do not need to go far to enjoy a dinner and drink. If you like old charm hotels, this is a nice place. For a very good night sleep, probably this is not the best place.

A beautiful old building full of character. A small but comfortable room, with an on-suit which leaves a lot to be desired. I've seen kids water pistols with more pressure than our shower had, you'd be better off pouring water over yourself with a tea cup. An averagely stocked bar which is expensive. Ideally located for everything in or around Colchester, but VERY noisy.

A friendly hotel with comfortable rooms, obliging and helpful staff, and nice food. My only issue is that parts of it seem to annex some fairly low key accommodation, which is not particularly an issue, but really loud music from very early in the morning certainly disturbed some guests....

Good standard, we had room 132 in the annex a ground floor room it was like being in the middle of the car park, noise in the morning one morning the bin men collected the bins at 4.20am. The food was good and the staff polite.

Interesting old and part modern hotel. Nice staff. Let down by window in room missing one sash, needed shoe to keep open. Also bathroom face mirror light not working. Main gents in lobby there were 2 dead Beatles.

We enjoyed a multi-night stay at the Rose and Crown. WiFi was fast & reliable. Service from everyone was outstanding (special thanks to Sue and Casey at Reception). We were assigned a room in the new building. Unfortunately, there was a problem with shower/tub water temperature: a curious lack of cold water. Staff worked proactively to assist us, initially providing access to a nearby room and then sorting the issue with professional maintenance while were out for the day. Of course any hotel guest would prefer no problem at all. But it's how quickly and thoughtfully a problem is resolved that truly shows how well a hotel (or any business) is run. Kudos to Rose and Crown! Highly recommend.

Very warm welcome to the hotel by Liz the Receptionist. Room 205 charming and a delight. Best bed ever. Room spotlessly clean and spacious. Everything you could possibly want and more. Breakfast was hot and plentiful and served by a very smiley Megan. A quirky and wonderful hotel which is well worth a visit.

Stayed here for work. Very easy to find and just about enough parking but I did get there quite early-ish. Warm welcome on arrival and the room was comfortable and clean. Only negative was that every car that arrived at the hotel drove just under my window which was quite annoying. Food was nice but they dont start serving until 6.30pm. Didn't have breakfast Will stay again if nearby for work

Had a great night watching the amazing Laura Butler's Amy Winehouse tribute act in a lovely old (possibly haunted!) hotel. The 3 course meal that was included was exceptional, ALL the staff were amazing and attentive to our needs, couldn't recommend enough. Can't wait to go back 5 star.

Rose & Crown, Colchester. Great place to stay. Excellent restaurant, excellent service by very friendly staff. good size secure hotel car park. Very clean and tidy rooms. Good access to other areas of Essex. Definitely a great place to stay. Stayed twice and another date already booked.

Handy for Colchester which is why we booked. Our room was bright and clean but was in the new building. That was the only down side as we would have liked a room in the original Rose & Crown. The lounge bar didn't have a nice dry cider which was disappointing but overall a very comfortable stay.

Very well looked after especially by Stefan and his team in the restaurant.We enjoyed a nice meal and drinks in the Tudor bar and it was a most enjoyable evening after a day at the zoo. All of the staff were very friendly and helpful.

just can't find anything bad to say about this hotel from the reception room the service to the waiting staff just top notch large car park . if I have one complaint it is access to the car park entrance is on a blind bend but that is a minor detail

We attended my daughter's wedding in 27 October '16 and were so impressed we booked our own wedding without hesitation. Why? Lisa Grantham, Assistant Manager/Wedding Planner, has been there for 17+ years and very quickly & confidently answers every question. The hotel has bags of character and a warm, friendly atmosphere, so the whole thing has a good vibe from the off. You can have the ceremony there so no-one has to drive from one place to another during the day - great for those who might want a tipple in the bar before the ceremony! The rooms are cosy and comfortable and the discount for wedding guests is great for family and friends. The bridal suite has a four-poster and is spacious but cosy. There is a good amount of parking at the hotel. The hotel is very attractive in the photos but there is also a pretty park a five minute walk away if you want some trees. The food is great and the chef accommodating - gluten-free, veggie, vegan - the kitchen team do a great job to a high standard. We had a couple of last-minute dietary requirements to request and when we were told, 'leave it to us' we had the confidence to do that, knowing it would be fine - it was. My vegan nephew was so relieved he didn't get stuffed peppers! The venue is set up beautifully and the staff are quick and efficient with changes made during the day, e.g. setting up the evening buffet. We booked the disco recommended by the hotel, DJ Buzby, who was great: friendly, professional and very good at his job. The people, oh the people. Managers & staff at the Rose and Crown are what make your day so special. Lisa, Stefan and their teams are so friendly, helpful, accommodating, polite, respectful and efficient it is difficult to quantify. They are there when you want them but not in your face. They like to say yes and when you ask for something they do it fast. In short, they have the 'want to', they know all about customer care and work very hard to provide it. Outstanding value for money.

Hotel has lots of character and history and the staff were extremely friendly and helpful. Breakfast was also great with excellent service. I recommend this stay to anyone traveling for business or pleasure purposes

I booked a room for me and my partner it was great nice and cheap has a parking space for my car that's all I needed rooms were warm and lovely big as well gives you more space to relax and but my feet up after a long day .. would come back

I stayed in the old building.The room was very clean and tidy every day, the breakfast was excellent, the lady in reception was very friendly and helpful. And last but not least the hotel restaurant has amazing food!!!!

I have conflicting views of this place. However, I was really let down by some shoddy customer service. The room itself was newly decorated and was actually quite a pleasant place to be. The bed was comfortable and the room was clean. However, a massive, massive problem is the bathroom. my wife and I both had showers and both times the floor was absolutely soaked in water. The shower screen is useless, it's either too small for the job or they skipped on quality and it leaked badly. Looking at the floor in the corner, where the shower screen was, this has clearly been a problem for a long time as it looked like the sealant was mouldy. I got in the shower secondly, after the floor had been mopped with a towel, it was dry. I stepped in the shower and immediately slipped on the shower mat. I bashed my leg on the side of the bath which gave me a badly bruised shin and after a month, I still have a bump on my leg. If I was an elderly person, I dread to think what would have happened and I would highly suggest if you are, to go to a different hotel. I asked the receptionist if she could give me an additional shower mat to try and prevent slipping. She asked me why, and I told her. Her response was 'I'm sorry, I don't know what to say.' Not ideal. The second problem came in the morning, we were leaving early, about 8am. When we woke up, about 7.30am, we noticed that the power was off. We checked our phones, which had not been charged, not ideal when we had a long journey ahead of us and when we use one of our phones for a SatNav. As we were checking out, I told the receptionist (the same one from the previous night who was nonplussed about injuries) that their had been a power cut in our room. Her response, was not an apology, instead she said 'you should have told us and I could have fixed it.' Well I was asleep for the power cut so I don't know how she excepted me to do that. In the short time we were awake, there wouldn't have been enough time to fully charge the phones and we were on a tight schedule. An apology would have been nice. Really disappointing customer service. What I would say is that, we had a meal in the restaurant/bar and the customer service in there was excellent. The gentleman who serviced us (I believe he was the bar manager) was very welcoming and attentive. The food was excellent, too. I had duck and my wife had the belly pork, the belly pork was amazing! The location is ok, not much around but the bar was a nice place to sit and was also close to Colchester Zoo. The cost was good, however it didn't include breakfast which was 15pp, very pricey. It could be so much better this hotel, if the customer service was consistent.

Come here quite often for Sunday Roast , its always fresh and good quality food and very enjoyable , it is really busy though on a sunday sometimes and not always enough staff, but they are always friendly and work hard

I found the facilities at the Rose and Crown Hotel very good. The parking area was secure and there was also another car park should the main one be full. The reception staff were very helpful when I first walked inside. The meeting room that was used for the Mary's Meals presentation to this group of business men and women belonging to Colchester Rotary Forum group was very private and conducive to this sort of meeting. The necessary facilities were all there, but I had brought my own as I thought, at least I knew how to work my devices and so would save time. This meeting on the 9th March 2017, was to raise funds for Mary's Meals, a grass root, no frill, global charity that provides a nourishing meal in a place of education to some of the world's poorest children. I was very impressed when I later found out that the Rose and Crown Hotel had provided without charge a scrumptious "Frugal Lunch" of soup and rolls to all attendees. This meant that all money which would have been spent on a three courses of lunches went directly to Mary's Meals. This amounted to around £600.00! It was heart warming to know that a local hotel in Colchester is playing its part in feeding nearly an extra 50 children every school day for a whole school year. Equally important, is that these children will also be receiving a basic education, which hopefully, will help give them a better, brighter future and helps break the cycle of poverty for future generations. So, a very well done to Rose and Crown Hotel, its management and all the staff involved.

This is the second year that we have held our Dinner/Dance at the Rose and Crown and again what a fantastic night we all had, Lisa worked very hard with the arrangements which were spot on, ] The food was excellent, we had a great choice to choose from, Stefan and his team worked so hard through the evening, well done everyone, see you next year

Stayed here overnight for a work meeting in Colchester and have to say what a lovely hotel - which you would expect under the Best Western franchise. The hotel is a short walk out of the main town centre and located in the old part of town. This hotel is so old with thick walls and uneven floors and exposed beams. For an old build the heating blasts out the heat so you will not go cold if you visit in the winter months. Breakfast is a continental buffet and pre ordered cooked breakfast. Perfect for your start to the day. Friendly and welcoming with a lovely bar (the Rose and Crown) attached.

We stayed at the rose and crown for two nights after we checked out of another hotel late at night as it was really awful. We were welcomed at around midnight by a delightful and friendly receptionist and checked into a fabulous room, clean and modern, really good quality. The bar is warm and has a great atmosphere. Breakfast was also excellent, we'd definitely stay again and it was a wonderful turnaround of what started as a disastrous weekend!

For a very old place, this is a well kept hotel, with friendly staff, a good and well priced food menu, and nice rooms. The bed in our Executive room was actually too big, far bigger than a king size, making the room feel smaller than it is. Problems with remote control and TV, which seem to have been in other reviews, a minor issue.Water pressure could be better, especially in shower. Secure parking a bonus. Overall a very nice hotel to which we will be returning.

Stayed at the hotel for work, staff were so friendly and helpful. The room was clean, but a good walk from reception, up and then back down several stair cases. It didn't bother me but to be aware if you have some issues walking. I know my parents would have found it difficult and they are generally fit and healthy and in their early 70's. The main thing that made me give it a three though was the maintenance. It seemed everything I touched was already broken. The window in my room didn't open or lock as the catch was broken, several light bulbs had gone and weren't replaced (I stayed two nights) the TV remote back fell apart and then I had to hold the batteries in to get it to work, even then I gave up! In the bathroom there was a sheen over the floor that looked like furniture polish, it was like an ice rink, the shower was working but bits hanging off. Such a shame because potential of a great hotel. Ps. Turn the heating down! It was like an oven!!!!

This is an ancient hotel - mostly in the right ways: a tudor building, full of charm. However, many of the rooms are very 'tired' - you DEFINITELY need to pay the extra to get the 'superior' room at this place. This will land you in a decent room, what you might expect at a very good hotel as a normal room. However, the hotel gets FULL MARKS for a lovely (outstanding) breakfast, great service and friendliness.

Stayed there with an old mate from Leicestershire. They say people make a place and The Rose and Crown is a cracking hotel with wonderful staff. From Liz on reception right through to the bar staff (we kept them busy), this has to be one of the friendliest, most pleasant hotels I have stayed in. Smashing position, ample parking, lovely Tudor building, I'd return at the drop of a hat. Such a welcome change from the usual chain hotel.

i can honestly say the rose and crown did the best sunday dinner ive ever had out. the gravy was amazing . and value for money . at £9.95 for two courses its price is so competitive. i will definitely be returning. the chef should be praised as so many places get it all wrong with a roast. well done !!!!!

Reception staff very helpful and pleasant. Deluxe room very small for extra price paid. The lights tripped a couple of times. Nice atmosphere in bar. Good location, Car park very busy. restaurant meal ok but a bit pricey

I love this hotel, have stayed here many times over the years. The main hotel has lots of character with the old beams. The rooms are nice too. Then there is the outside block with the more modern rooms that have air conditioning. These are the best rooms to have as they are light, airy and comfortable. They are a bit more expensive than the rooms in the main hotel but they are worth it. The food at the hotel is very good. The staff are pleasant and always happy to help their customers in any way. The hotel is just a 10 minute walk up the hill to the main town. This is definitely the best hotel to stay in when visiting Colchester.

Had a great stay breakfast was fantastic, good portions and value for money. Things were even better in the evening, thank you very much to Meg, who stole the show she was fantastic, always smiling with a lovely sense of humour. Nothing was too much trouble. Will stay again.

Lovely and comfortable stopover attending a local wedding. Staff friendly and accommodating and about 20 mins stroll to city high street. Old and quaint hotel with the rooms enjoying a nice updated modernisation. Free Wifi also available. I would definitely come again.

Stayed with work and was very pleasantly surprised! Room was lovely with everything needed and a big, comfortable bed. All very clean too. I ate in the pub downstairs which was both reasonable and delicious. The open fire was a lovely touch after a cold wait for a taxi to arrive! I had a great nights sleep followed by a very generous and tasty full English. Lots of choice at breakfast which is great! Have already booked for my next work trip here

Our offices are in Colchester and this hotel was booked for me by a colleague. The rooms were very comfortable and the food in the bar was very good. The staff seemed happy to help and always on hand.

So pleased with the quality of this hotel! Staff were darling to work with, eager to answer questions and direct me to interesting landmarks. Bar offers phenomenal food and a delicious wine list, all very large portions for price. The hotel is located in a very central area with a short walk to bus stations, the Tesco, and the Colchester Castle Park. Would recommend to anyone looking for a truly authentic Tudor experience in a really sweet little town. Six stars for sure!

We had a very good stay at this hotel. Everything was in order - room, cleanliness, helpfulness of staff. It was what happened after our stay that was above and beyond what you would expect. We accidentally left our daughter's teddy bear in our hotel room. We called the hotel that night once we realised we had come home without it. They said they would speak to the cleaners in the morning and call us. We received a call early the following morning to say the teddy bear had been found. By the following day, the teddy bear had been returned in the post (bubble wrapped for safe travelling!) and he was accompanied by a beautiful letter to our daughter telling her what a good time the teddy bear had had at the hotel after we left and that he had made friends with other teddy bears! We were really touched by the extra effort that staff had made!

I recently spent a week at the Rose & Crown in Colchester. One of the big advantages of staying at the Rose & Crown was the ease of walking into the centre of Colchester, which has a lot to offer. The hotel itself was run very well. Only negative on the whole week was the hot in the shower was very on and off mainly it was cold but this things can happen. The food was excellent and the bar staff and waitress were very polite. The room was cleaned everyday and fresh sheets put on aswell. One restaurant I visited was called middletons steak house which I highly recommend.

The bed was comfortable but that was about the only thing I would recommend. The bathroom was the main bone of contention, room 215. It smelled strongly of damp and mould. The toilet seat swivelled where it was broken, and I would have had more success with the shower if I had lain on the floor. Water gushed out of the shower pipe and flooded the floor, even with the shower screen in place and we had to use towels to mop it up. It was an ongoing problem as the wood was warped where it had leaked many times before and the sealant around the bath had ceased to hold where the water had been leaking so much and I have photo evidence of this. We did tell the receptionist as we left but was told that no-one else had reported it before so she would let maintenance know. Upon reading the reviews I see that the same problem was reported on 4th September and the manager said that he would get it fixed. Obviously he didn't. We couldn't keep the window open as the sashcord seemed to be broken, so no fresh air during the night. Probably just as well as there was a noisy fan or something running all night. This became intermittent about 8 o'clock but each time it stopped there was a loud bang. Don't know what it was but by 9 we had had enough and left early. If these problems had been in the older part of the hotel then I could have perhaps expected it but this was in the newer area. Noise levels were pretty rough from other guests as well. I definitely would not use this hotel again.

First welcome smile,what we call 'acceuil' in France, Boded Well Our experience in the attractive Bar Area was a Delight....all to date confirmed our first Impression..c'est a dire....We were very happy with our choice. Ground floor room and bathroom in new Annex simple,comfortable, IMACCULATE ! However,Read on.... ....if the Architect responsable stayed a night in our room 132.....With somebody staying in a room immediately above him.....he would understand ALL...& WOULD PROBABLY LEAVE AND SLEEP IN HIS CAR...I AM IN MY 80s...I cannot so do.. EVERY LITTLE STEP...........I WAS INFORMED THAT'S THE OCCUPANT WAS A CHARMING LADY OF A CERTAIN AGE UNLIKELY TO HAVE RAVE PARTIES.......WAS A HAMMER BLOW ABOVE OUR HEAD; AM I EXAGERATING...NIET !!! It might be that the general manager/director tries it......seemingly there is nill,or innadaquate insulation,above all in the tiled section. Thus we were both awoken at regular intervals.....not Best Western's intention ! I,disabled,climbed to the first floor notwithstanding the WORKING LIFT ; the room above me was being prepared next morning and by just walking, my Wife immediately below could further confirm the unecceptable noise. The question is does this manifest itself on the carpeted area also ? Yes if still welcome after my comments,I would certainly choose this Hotel...and the Annexe BUT ON THE FIRST FLOOR. ..IN THE HOPE THAT THE NEED FOR REMEDIAL ACTION IS RECOGNISED.... FOR THOSE BELOW. Lastly had it not been for my/our sleep deprivation,I like other Guests would not hesitate to give the Rose & Crown a 5.

Staff really helpful, nice hotel with comfortable bed, 2 side to the hotel the old inn side and a new extension on the back, we stayed in the new side which was perfect as just needed a room after a party in the high street. So make sure when you book to express which part you want to be in. A good English breakfast in the morning set me up for a nice day in Essex.

i came with my family for sunday lunch - they offer a 2 course meal for only £9.95. We opted for the roast for the main and good old fashioned apple crumble and custard for dessert. Big mistake. The main was so filling not one of us could finish it and struggled to eat the delicious dessert. Will definitely come back on a regular basis as such good value for money. The staff were attentive and friendly. Nothing was too much trouble. The Rose & Crown is why sundays were invented....

We have just come back from a lovely weekend staying at The Rose and Crown. The staff were friendly and helpful and the building itself historic and interesting. We had dinner in the restaurant which I enjoyed very much I had the lamb which was delicious. My husband wasn't quite so keen on his but he left an empty plate so that speaks volumes. The room was comfortable and the shower lovely and powerful. Even though the hotel is at a busy road junction it was very quiet and we didn't hear a thing. The only negative was that despite the fan and open window the room was very warm overnight but it didn't detract from our stay. We would defiantly book to stay here again and would recommend to anyone staying in Colchester.

Beautiful pub serving delicious food with a tv showing the football. Really friendly staff who were so accommodating. Lots of parking and the pub is a Tudor style which is in a beautiful old building. Will certainly come here again whenever I come back to Colchester.

Returned from Alderburgh and looked on the Internet for a place to eat. Found the Rose and Criwn in ColchesterWatched the foo come out from the kitchen and the portions looked massive. We was disappointed that after ordering we found out they did a Sunday roast, which was not on the menu. The starters were nice but when I got my ceaser salad, I was a joke, my daughter in law ordered a Mac cheese and the bowl was overloaded. Mine looked like a starter, was also very dangerous, it did not say on the menu that there were anchovies, lucky no one was allergic to fish. I eat them as they mad up most of the food, all six of them.. Very disappointed.

A very nice hotel in Colchester, orginally built in 14th century. Proffessional and serviceminded personal. Nice rooms and beds and a good restaurant with resonable prices. Big parkingarea for free. A little bit far from downtown but good bus- and taxiconnections and also within a healthy promenade. A very romantic place and the hotel is a perfect place for most special and momentous events, for example weddings!

all as i expected all you need for a good base, clean well equipped all mod cons, iron, iron board ,hair dryer tea, coffee television and a fan so all in all the hotel just about had it covered so I would recommend this hotel to anyone hhave a good stay many thanks Alan.

Our experience of this hotel was positive throughout. Very efficient booking, had to pay in full in advance. They called us the day before we arrived to check how many beds we needed in our family room. We were welcomed warmly and efficiently and they helped us book a taxi. The room was clean, well equipped with an iron, proper hairdryer and nice toiletries in the spotless bathroom. Breakfast was good with several cooked options, we had a very passable full English. Only slight criticism was that the extra toast took 20 mins and two reminders. But when it came it was piping hot. Would definitely recommend it.

I stayed the night for my Wedding Anniversary after reading mixed reviews on line I decided to take the plunge and go for it and not because it was cheap because it wasn't particularly. Beautiful hotel, reception staff are very nice & helpful particularly Liz after a few emails back and forth it was nice on our arrival to be greeted on first name terms, our room wasn't ready and that was no problem armed with a map and some advise about the town we set off on an adventure. 15 minuet walk into town Colchester is no doubt a beatiful town steeped in history with the Castle, Roman walls, Dutch quarter and Tudor houses plenty to do and see and lovely shops. Excellent places to eat and some lovely walks along the river to be had. Checking in to our room however I was very disappointed it was very basic and after paying for a superior room I feel it was very substandard and certainly did not deserve that title, bed was only a double, the window didn't stay open so we had to wedge the bin in it to keep it open, no air con was stifling HOT, hardly any coffee, one hot chocolate & one biscuit, bedside lamps didn't work and the promise of a monsoon shower was more like a wet weekend drizzle on Southend sea front! Weekend was lovely but the room let it down defiantly not worth the money.

This is a historic building with more modern additions, full of character. I stayed there on business but was really surprised by the quality of the accomodation, the food and the excellent service from all members of staff.